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The objective of the first experiment was to determine the effects of corn particle size on the diet apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of protein (CP), digestible energy (DE), metabolizable energy (ME) and N-corrected ME (AMEn) in addition to estimating the ME of corn in gestating sows. A total of 27 sows, during the second phase of gestation, were fed a common diet manufactured with corn ground to one of 3 target particle sizes (dgw): 400, 800, or 1200 μm. Titanium dioxide (0.25%) was included in the diet as an indigestible marker for digestibility calculations. Sows were fed experimental diets for 7 days to allow for diet adaptation before a 2-day collection period of urine and fecal samples. Reducing dgw of corn from 1,200 to 400 μm increased (linear, P < 0.01) ATTD CP and GE, DE, ME, AMEn and calculated ME of corn. The objective of the second experiment was to determine the effects of corn particle size on the total concentration and molar proportions of volatile fatty acids (VFA) in the feces of gestating sows. A total of 27 sows were fed treatments similar to Exp. 1 from day 61 to 82 of gestation. On day-82 and 83 of gestation, 2 fecal grab samples were collected for VFA analyses. Sows fed diets with decreasing corn dgw had increased (quadratic, P = 0.021) fecal acetic acid proportions, and decreased propionic (quadratic, P = 0.019) and valeric acid (P = 0.005). In conclusion, for every 100 μm decrease in corn dgw from 1,200 to 400 μm, corn ME value increased by 28.6 kcal/kg. Additionally, decreasing corn particle size led to an increase in the proportion of acetic acid and a decrease in propionic and valeric acid in fecal samples of gestating sows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A total of 720 barrows (initially 5.9 kg; Line 200 × 400; DNA, Columbus, NE) were used in a 42-d growth trial to test the effects of spray-dried Lactococcus-based fermentation products on nursery pig performance. There were 24 replications per treatment with pen randomly allotted to 1 of 6 dietary treatments. The positive control (PC) diet included zinc oxide (ZnO; phase 1), ZnO + chlortetracycline (CTC; phase 2) while the negative control (NC) diet did not include ZnO or CTC. Treatment diets included the negative control + 1 of 4 fermentation products (C, D, E, or F) added at 5% of the diet. Phase 3 diets contained a common control diet fed to all pigs plus treatment diets with fermentation products. Data were analyzed with pen as the experimental unit and barn within group as the blocking factor using PROC-GLIMMIX in SAS. From d 0 to 20, there was an overall treatment effect (P = 0.001) where pigs fed PC had increased (P < 0.05) d 20 BW, ADG, ADFI, and improved G:F compared to those fed the NC and NC + fermentation product. Overall, there was a treatment effect (P = 0.03) for pigs fed the PC having improved (P < 0.05) ADG and G:F compared to the NC and NC + fermentation product. In addition, pigs fed the NC had improved (P < 0.05) G:F compared to those fed additive D, E, and F. In conclusion, pigs fed the PC (zinc + CTC) diet had improved performance compared to pigs fed the NC with or without fermentation product. Adding fermentation products to the NC diet did not improve nursery pig performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of liquid blueberry juice (BJ65) or blueberry puree (BP30) used as a binding agent on pellet durability and palatability of a typical equine concentrate when included at 4% of the pellet. Molasses was used as a control. Production data, pellet durability and moisture content were evaluated in 1 replicate for each treatment. Because moisture content of condition mashes were 17.59% and 18.11% for BJ65 and BP30 treatments, respectively, greater inclusion of blueberry product would likely cause roller slippage and complicate the pelleting process due to increased liquid (Fahrenholz, 2012). Pellet durability met industry standards for all treatments. Pellets were fed in a 3 x 3 Latin square design to 9 two-year-old horses to determine the effect of blueberry products on acceptability. All animals were allowed 10 minutes to consume 1.36 kg at 0700 h and 1700 h each day for 3 d. Consumption time and amount consumed were recorded to calculate intake, intake rate, and intake ratio (IR). No horse consumed all pellets within the allotted time, and thus, there were no differences between intake rate and intake. Period tended to impact intake (P = 0.0909), with horses consuming less during period 1 than period 3 (P = 0.0317), but period had no effect (P = 0.2881) on IR. Treatment influenced intake (P < 0.0001), with decreased intake of BP30 compared to control and BJ65 (P = 0.0001). Intake ratio was greater (P = 0.0075) for BJ65 than BP30 with IR of 0.5069 and 0.4227, respectively. Consumption of BJ65 was no different than control. Fahrenholz, A. 2012. Evaluating factors affecting pellet durability and energy consumption in a pilot feed mill and comparing methods for evaluating pellet durability. Doctoral thesis. Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]