Abstract
Three trials were conducted to evaluate anaerobically stored high-moisture corn and dried corn fed as complete or free-choice feeding system for growing-finishing swine. Average daily gain by pigs was not affected by method of corn storage (high-moisture vs dried) or by the type of feeding system (complete vs free-choice). Pigs fed free-choice diets tended to gain faster (P<.01) than those fed complete diets during the early part of the feeding period. Daily consumption of high-moisture corn diets was similar to that of dried corn diets when both were adjusted to an equal dry-matter basis. Pigs fed free choice did not consistently regulate daily protein supplement intake. Pigs fed free-choice diets in Exp. 1 consumed more protein supplement early, less late and less over the entire trial (P<.05) than pigs fed the complete diet. In Exp. 2, however, pigs fed free choice consumed more protein supplement during the total feeding period (P<.01). Feed efficiency (F/G), adjusted to an equal dry-matter basis, was not different due to method of corn storage or feeding system. Pigs fed free-choice diets were slightly more efficient during the early part of the feeding period than those fed complete diets. Little difference was found in carcass composition of pigs fed either high-moisture or dried corn. Pigs fed complete diets had larger loin eye area measurements than those fed free-choice, but these differences were not statistically significant. These trials indicate that, when anaerobically stored high-moisture corn is allowed to undergo proper fermentation, it can be satisfactorily used in growing-finishing swine diets. Formulation adjustments must be made to compensate for the increased moisture levels of high-moisture corn if equal performance is to be expected. The pig performance measurements from this experiment suggest that the feeding value of high-moisture corn is similar to that of dried corn when compared on an equal dry-matter basis. Copyright © 1984. American Society of Animal Science. Copyright 1984 by American Society of Animal Science.