Swine Extension

By Dr. Jerry Shurson and Amanda Palowski, University of Minnesota Department of Animal Science © 2019 Feedstuffs. Reprinted with permission from Vol. 91, No. 06, June 3, 2019 Although the majority of swine diets containing dried distillers grains plus solubles (DDGS) in the midwestern U.S. are fed in meal form, when these diets must be pelleted, the dietary inclusion rate of DDGS is often restricted due to concerns of reduced pellet quality and pellet mill throughput. As a result, the ability of feed manufacturers and pork producers to capture greater economic value from using higher dietary inclusion rates may be diminished because of constraints imposed on DDGS to meet desired pellet quality and production efficiencies in commercial feed mills. Pelleting is the most common thermal processing method used in manufacturing swine feeds (Miller, 2012) and provides the advantages of improved feed conversion (due to reduced feed wastage) and improved digestibility of energy and nutrients

By Dr. Jerry Shurson, University of Minnesota Department of Animal Science, © 2019 Feedstuffs. Reprinted with permission from Vol. 91, No. 05, May 6, 2019 Compared to other feed ingredients, corn dried distillers grains plus solubles (DDGS) have some unique physical and chemical characteristics that affect storage and handling characteristics. The use of DDGS in animal feeds has created challenges for handling and unloading from railcars, containers and bulk vessels, especially during humid summer months, plus challenges with transport using conventional feeder screws as well as flowability and discharge from feed silos and storage bins at commercial feed mills. Proper feed ingredient storage is essential for preserving nutritional value and preventing spoilage. The original condition of a feed ingredient is the most important factor affecting quality preservation during storage and is influenced by moisture content, relative humidity and temperature (Mills, 1989). Moisture within a

Research survey Project title: Effects of water quality on nursery pig performance and health   Project sponsors: the University of Minnesota and Minnesota Pork Board Researchers at the University of Minnesota in collaboration with the Minnesota Pork Board would like to learn more about how the quality of water supplied to nursery pigs might affect their health and performance. In the initial stage of this project, we hope to learn the range of water quality being offered to pigs in Minnesota. As a pork producer, you can help us with this project. We are asking you to complete the short survey below as soon as possible, or before June 21, 2019 . Responses and responder identity will be held confidential to the research group. Any release of information to the public will be done in aggregate form with no identification of individual farms. With this information, we will determine the range of water quality being fed to pigs and identify water sources that would be help