The effects of applying ME values for high or low-oil corn distillers dried grains with solubles originating from prediction equations on the reproductive performance, colostrum and blood composition as well as diet digestibility for sows in late gestation

Abstract This experiment was conducted to apply metabolizable energy (ME) values for high or low-oil corn distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) originating from prediction equations on the reproductive performance, colostrum and blood composition as well as diet digestibility of sows in late gestation. On d 85 of gestation, 84 sows (Landrace × Yorkshire with an average parity of 3.91) were allotted to 1 of 7 treatments in a 2 × 3 factorial with a positive control with 12 sows per treatment. Sows were fed corn-soybean meal-based diets supplemented with either a high-oil or de-oiled corn DDGS at 1 of 3 inclusion rates (15, 30, or 45%). The control diet was corn-soybean meal-based. The experimental diets were formulated using ME values obtained from prediction equations for corn DDGS and NRC (2012) for other ingredients. There were no differences in the reproductive performance of sows fed these diets. The concentrations of protein in colostrum and serum of sows fed the diets containing de-oiled corn DDGS were lower compared with sows fed high-oil corn DDGS (P