Effects of particle size, processing, and dry or liquid feeding on performance of piglets

2004 ◽  
Vol 55 (2) ◽  
pp. 237 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Choct ◽  
E. A. D. Selby ◽  
D. J. Cadogan ◽  
R. G. Campbell

Currently, most feed grains are processed by either hammer mill or roller mill before the inclusion in pig diets. However, the effect of these two types of milling and particle size on the performance and feed utilisation has not been adequately examined. The effect of milling processing (hammer mill v. roller mill), particle size, and feeding method (liquid v. dry) was assessed in a factorial design with 120 weaner pigs over 21 days. These pigs had been weaned for 7 days when the experiment commenced. The results revealed that pigs fed on hammer-milled diets had a better performance than those on roller-milled diets. Particle size of hammer-milled diets did not affect the performance of pigs, but influenced the digestible energy content of the diets. However, the feed conversion ratio was poorer for pigs fed coarsely or medium roller-milled diets only at Day 7–14 after weaning. There was a marked advantage in terms of feed efficiency associated with liquid feeding. For pigs offered the hammer-milled diets between 0 and 14 days, simply adding the feed to water improved feed efficiency by some 22%. For the roller-milled diets the corresponding improvement in feed efficiency was 28%. Liquid feeding improved digestible energy (DE) value by 1.5 MJ/kg for medium particle size and depressed DE value by 0.8 MJ/kg for fine particle size for hammer mill. Liquid feeding improved DE values for both medium and fine particle treatments by 0.9 MJ/kg for roller-milled diets. It should be noted that the full advantages of liquid feeding could only be taken if feed wastage from this system can be minimised as much as possible.The study was conducted to investigate if processing method (roller v. hammer mill), particle size (coarse, medium, and fine), and feeding method (liquid v. dry) significantly improved the growth rate, feed intake, and feed conversion of the weaner pig.

2016 ◽  
Vol 70 (1) ◽  
pp. 67-72 ◽  
Author(s):  
Djuro Vukmirovic ◽  
Jovanka Levic ◽  
Aleksandar Fistes ◽  
Radmilo Colovic ◽  
Tea Brlek ◽  
...  

In recent years there is an emerging trend of coarse grinding of cereals in production of poultry feed due to positive influence of coarse particles on poultry digestive system. Influence of grinding method (hammer mill vs. roller mill) and grinding intensity of corn (coarseness of grinding) on mill specific energy consumption and pellet quality was investigated. By decreasing grinding intensity of corn (coarser grinding), specific energy consumption of both hammer mill and roller mill was significantly decreased (p < 0.05). When comparing similar grinding intensities on hammer mill and roller mill (similar geometric mean diameter or similar particle size distribution), specific energy consumption was higher for the hammer mill. Pellet quality decreased with coarser grinding on hammer mill but, however, this effect was not observed for the roller mill. Generally, pellet quality was better when roller mill was used. It can be concluded that significant energy savings could be achieved by coarser grinding of corn before pelleting and by using roller mill instead of hammer mill. From the aspect of pellet quality, if coarser grinding is applied it is better to use roller mill, concerning that more uniform particle size distribution of corn ground on roller mill probably results in more uniform particle size distribution in pellets and this provides better pellet quality.


1995 ◽  
Vol 75 (1) ◽  
pp. 109-114 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. M. G. Hamilton ◽  
F. G. Proudfoot

In each of two experiments, 1536 Leghorn pullets from two commercial genotypes (A and B) were given diets that were in the form of either mash, crumbles or pellets. The cereal grains used in these diets were either finely or coarsely ground using a hammer or roller mill. The particle size and form of the diets used were: FM, FMC, FMP, CM, CMC, and CMP. These diets were fed and data were collected when the birds were between 140 and 490 d of age.Pullets in exp. 2 were heavier at 140 d (P < 0.001) and lighter in weight at 490 d (P < 0.001), reached 50% EP 4.8 d earlier (P < 0.001), had 1.3% higher rate of EP (P < 0.05), and laid more large and small (P < 0.001) and fewer medium-sized (P < 0.01) eggs than those in exp. 1. Hens from genotype A had lower 140 and 490 d body weights (P < 0.001), 187 and 490 d egg weights and specific gravity (P < 0.001), better feed conversion (P < 0.001) and higher (P < 0.001) monetary returns than birds from genotype B. Birds receiving the FM and CM diets had higher EP (P < 0.05), feed intake (P < 0.001), monetary returns (P < 0.001), and numbers of medium-sized and small eggs (P < 0.05) than those fed the FMP and CMP diets. Specific gravity was higher (P < 0.001) for eggs laid at 187–188 d by the FMP and CMP-fed hens than for those given the FM or CM diets. In general, performance was better for the hens given the mash diets than for those fed the crumbled or pelleted diets. Key words: Particle size, feed form, hens


2020 ◽  
Vol 98 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
Fiona M O’ Meara ◽  
Gillian E Gardiner ◽  
John V O’ Doherty ◽  
David Clarke ◽  
Wayne Cummins ◽  
...  

Abstract Fermented liquid feeding has proved beneficial for weaner pigs; however, there is limited research on its effect on the growth and feed conversion efficiency (FCE) of grow-finisher pigs. Microbial decarboxylation of amino acids is associated with whole diet fermentation, while wet/dry and liquid feeding reportedly improve growth compared with dry feeding. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of wet/dry feeding and fresh, fermented whole diet, and fermented cereal liquid feeding on pig growth, feed efficiency, and carcass quality in grow-finisher pigs. Pigs were allocated to one of four dietary treatments in two experiments: 1) Single-space wet/dry feeders (WET/DRY), 2) Fresh liquid feeding (FRESH), 3) Fermented cereal liquid feeding where the cereal fraction (38% barley, 40% wheat) of the diet was fermented prior to feeding (FERM-CER), and 4) Fermented whole diet liquid feeding where the whole diet was fermented prior to feeding (FERM-WH). In exp. 1, pigs were fed the experimental diets for 68 d prior to slaughter (29.8 kg ± 0.92 SE to 102.3 kg ± 0.76 SE). Overall, average daily gain (ADG) was 1,094, 1,088, 1,110, and 955 g/d (SE = 13.0; P &lt; 0.001) and FCE was 2.26, 2.37, 2.40, and 2.88 (SE = 0.031; P &lt; 0.001) for treatments one through four, respectively. Pigs fed FERM-WH were lighter at slaughter than pigs fed the other three treatments (P &lt; 0.001). In exp. 2, pigs were on treatment for 26 d prior to slaughter (85.3 kg ± 1.69 SE to 117.5 kg ± 0.72 SE). Overall, ADG in exp. 2 was 1,103, 1,217, 1,284, and 1,140 g/d (SE = 27.9; P &lt; 0.01) and FCE was 2.78, 2.99, 2.95, and 3.09 g/g (SE = 0.071; P = 0.05), for treatments one through four, respectively. There were no significant differences observed between treatments for apparent total tract digestibility of dry matter, organic matter, nitrogen, gross energy, or ash. Higher lactic acid bacteria counts and lower Enterobacteriaceae counts and pH were observed in FERM-CER and FERM-WH compared with WET/DRY and FRESH. Ethanol concentrations were almost 4-fold higher in FERM-CER troughs than FRESH troughs and 5-fold higher in FERM-WH than FRESH troughs. To conclude, FERM-WH resulted in poorer growth and FCE compared with WET/DRY, FRESH, and FERM-CER, probably due to amino acid degradation and a loss in gross energy found in FERM-WH.


2021 ◽  
Vol 99 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 124-124
Author(s):  
Caitlin A Coulson ◽  
Braden Troyer ◽  
Levi J McPhillips ◽  
Mitch Norman ◽  
Galen E Erickson

Abstract Steers (n=600; Initial BW = 402 ± 17 kg) were fed for134 day to evaluate the effect of milling method and corn type on performance and carcass characteristics. Treatments were evaluated as a 2 × 3 factorial with factors being milling method (Automatic Ag® roller mill or hammer mill) and corn type (100% high-moisture, 100% dry, or 50:50 blend of high-moisture and dry corn). High-moisture corn was processed at harvested based on respective treatment and ensiled until trial initiation. Both dry corn and HMC were processed using a 16-mm screen in the hammer mill and the roller mill was adjusted to ensure all kernels were broken. There were no interactions between milling method and corn type for final BW, daily gain (ADG), or dry matter intake (DMI; P ≥ 0.32), but there was a tendency for an interaction for G:F (P = 0.09). Cattle fed 100% high-moisture corn processed with the Automatic Ag roller mill were 4.7% more efficient (P ≤ 0.01) with 55% lower fecal starch (P &lt; 0.01) compared to high-moisture corn processed with the hammer mill. Cattle fed dry corn tended (P = 0.07) to have a greater live final BW regardless of milling type and had the greatest DMI (P ≤ 0.01) Intake decreased as high-moisture corn was increased in the diet. Due to no differences in ADG with lower DMI led to a 6% improvement (P ≤ 0.01) in G:F for steers fed HMC. There were no further effects (P ≥ 0.14) on performance or carcass traits regardless of milling method or corn type. Processing high-moisture corn using Automatic Ag roller mill improved feed efficiency compared to processing with a hammer mill when corn was included at 70% of the diet, but processing method had little effect when fed as dry corn or blended diets.


1970 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 403-412 ◽  
Author(s):  
I. A. M. Lucas ◽  
K. L. Miles

SUMMARYIn the national pig progeny test stations one diet is given up to about 55 kg live weight and another, with less protein, is given from then until slaughter. These diets were compared with four ‘single’ diets, similar in digestible-energy content, but containing either 15·6, 17·4, 18·7 or 22·1% crude protein, and each given unchanged from 18 to 93 kg live weight. There were twenty groups of one castrate and one gilt on each treatment.Pigs given the lowest protein levels had the poorest growth rates and feed conversion efficiency up to 57 kg live weight, but the best from 57 to 93 kg. Hence there were no differences in overall feed efficiency, and overall growth rate was only slightly less with the lowest protein level than with other treatments.Carcass leanness rose with protein level in the ‘single’ diets over the range 15·6·18·7% crude protein, but a further increase to 22·1% reduced leanness.Pigs given the progeny test diets had carcasses intermediate in composition to those of pigs on the ‘single’ diets with 17·4% and 18·7% protein.


2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 473-484 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Devant ◽  
Anna Solé ◽  
Bruna Quintana ◽  
Armando Pérez ◽  
Josep Ribó ◽  
...  

Abstract Twenty-four individually housed Holstein bulls (456 ± 6.9 kg of body weight and 292 ± 1.4 d of age) were enrolled in a complete randomized experiment involving four dietary treatments to evaluate the potential effect of mash particle size of diets in finishing beef diets on behavior, digestibility, and macro- and microscopic changes of the digestive tract. The four treatments were all ingredients sieved at 2 mm (HM2), all ingredients sieved at 3 mm (HM3), all ingredients, but corn, sieved at 2 mm and corn at 10 mm (HM210), and all ingredients, but corn, sieved a 3 mm and corn at 10 mm (HM310). For the HM210 and HM310 mashes, corn ground at 10 mm was mixed with the remaining concentrate ingredients ground at 2 or 3 mm, respectively. Concentrate (36% corn, 19% barley, 15% corn gluten feed, 8.4% wheat; 14% crude protein, 3.28 Mcal of ME/kg) consumption was recorded daily and straw consumption weekly. To register behavior, animals were filmed for 24 h on a weekly basis. At day 49 of study nutrient digestibility was estimated. Bulls were slaughtered after 56 d of exposure to treatments. Digestive tract and hepatic lesions were recorded, and tissue samples from the digestive tract collected. Geometric mean particle size was 0.61 ± 0.041, 0.76 ± 0.041, 0.62 ± 0.041, 0.73 ± 0.041 mm, and percentage of particles between 0.5 and 1 mm were 68 ± 2.9, 46 ± 1.7, 46 ± 5.0, and 39 ± 3.3 g/100 g for HM2, HM210, HM3, and HM310, respectively. Performance, total tract digestibility, or digestive tract integrity did not differ when ingredients were ground at 2 or 3 mm. Grinding corn with a hammer mill sieve size of 10 mm reduced feed efficiency and decreased total tract apparent dry matter, and organic matter digestibility compared with treatments from which all ingredients were ground at 2 or 3 mm. Straw intake was greatest and starch digestibility was least in the HM210 treatment. Last, only minor differences among treatments in rumen wall color, rumen papillae fusion, and histological conformation were observed. In summary, to improve feed efficiency, grinding corn at 10 mm is not recommended. In the present study, grinding procedure did not have a great effect on behavior and/or digestive tract health; however, under commercial conditions (group housing), grinding procedures that cause small mean particle sizes or particle size heterogeneity may increase the risk to suffer digestive tract lesions.


2020 ◽  
Vol 98 (11) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ana L M Gomes ◽  
Antonio V I Bueno ◽  
Fernando A Jacovaci ◽  
Guilherme Donadel ◽  
Luiz F Ferraretto ◽  
...  

Abstract Our objective was to examine the effects of processing, moisture, and anaerobic storage length of reconstituted corn grain (RCG) on the fermentation profile, geometric mean particle size (GMPS), and ruminal dry matter disappearance (DMD). Dry corn kernels were ground (hammer mill, 5-mm screen) or rolled, then rehydrated to 30%, 35%, or 40% moisture, and stored for 0, 14, 30, 60, 90, 120, or 180 d in laboratory silos. Rolled corn had an increased GMPS compared with ground corn (2.24 and 1.13 mm, respectively, at ensiling). However, there was a trend for an interaction between processing and moisture concentration to affect particle size, with GMPS increasing with increased moisture concentration, especially in ground corn. Longer storage periods also slightly increased GMPS. Processing, moisture, and storage length interacted to affect the fermentation pattern (two- or three-way interactions). Overall, pH decreased, whereas lactic acid, acetic acid, ethanol, and NH3-N increased with storage length. RCG with 30% moisture had less lactic acid than corn with 35% and 40% moisture, indicating that fermentation might have been curtailed and also due to the clostridial fermentation that converts lactic acid to butyric acid. Ensiling reconstituted ground corn with 30% of moisture led to greater concentrations of ethanol and butyric acid, resulting in greater DM loss than grain rehydrated to 35% or 40% of moisture. Ammonia-N and in situ ruminal DMD were highest for reconstituted ground corn with 35% or 40% of moisture, mainly after 60 d of storage. Therefore, longer storage periods and greater moisture contents did not offset the negative effect of greater particle size on the in situ ruminal DMD of rolled RCG. Nonetheless, RCG should be ensiled with more than 30% moisture and stored for at least 2 mo to improve the ruminal DMD and reduce the formation of ethanol and butyric acid.


2014 ◽  
Vol 44 (8) ◽  
pp. 1448-1451 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rafael Ernesto Balen ◽  
Patrick Nereu Tetu ◽  
Robie Allan Bombardelli ◽  
Paulo Cesar Pozza ◽  
Fábio Meurer

The increase in global biodiesel production is originating a glycerol surplus, which has no defined destination. An alternative to overcome this problem is its use as energy source in animal feeding. In Brazil, Pacu (Piaractus mesopotamicus) is one of the most farmed native fish species, whereas Silver catfish (Rhamdia quelen) is suitable for production in subtropical region. Considering little knowledge about crude glycerol utilization in feeds for Neotropical fish species, it was evaluated the apparent digestibility coefficients (ADCs) for energy of crude glycerol for P. mesopotamicus and R. quelen. The digestibility and digestible energy content of crude glycerol can be considered excellent even when compared to energy of common ingredients such as maize and wheat, presenting 0.97 and 0.89 of energy ADCs, and 15.2 and 13.95MJ kg-1 of digestible energy for Pacu and Silver catfish, respectively. In conclusion, crude glycerol is an energetic ingredient with good potential in Brazilian native fish diets.


1970 ◽  
Vol 50 (3) ◽  
pp. 557-562 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. E. TROELSEN

Forage of six pure species was harvested for hay at several maturity stages during four years. The digestible energy content of 102 different lots of hay was determined by feeding to four groups of sheep during the same period, and by in vitro digestions and energy analysis of the undigested residues. The relationship between digestible energy content assayed by the two methods was highly significant (r = 0.85) and did not differ between years and species. Exclusion from regression of the hays containing less than 2 or more than 3 digestible kcal/g revealed that the in vitro assay could reproduce the in vivo digestible energy value with a standard deviation of 0.31 in over 70% of the hays. This represented the maturity and quality range of forage commonly fed to cattle and sheep. The in vitro assay therefore appeared promising for commercial quality determinations.


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