Influence of Ethanol Co-Products and Barley on Growth Performance and Carcass Characteristics of Growing-Finishing Pigs in Liquid or Dry Feeding Systems

A study was conducted to investigate the effects of ethanol co-products and including barley in late finishing phase on growth performance, carcass characteristics and belly firmness of growing-finishing pigs. A total of 480 crossbred pigs were used in this study; 240 pigs on dry feed (BW 27.2±3.5 kg) and 240 pigs on liquid feed (BW 24.4±3.5 kg). Pigs were blocked by body weight and randomly assigned to 1 of 3 dietary treatments with 8 pens of 10 pigs (5 barrows and 5 gilts) per treatment. In the dry feed group, pigs received (1) corn-soybean meal based diet (COND), (2) 20 to 30% DDGS (BPD1), or (3) same as BPD1 except 15% DDGS + 15% barley in the last 21 d before marketing (BPD2). In liquid fed group, pigs were given (1) corn-soybean meal based diet (CONL); (2) 16 to 24% corn condensed distiller’s solubles (CCDS) + 24 to 36% corn whole stillage (CWS) on 88% dry matter basis (BPL1), or (3) same as BPL1 except 15% CCDS + 30% CWS + 15% barley in the last 35 d before marketing (BPL2). The COND pigs had higher (P<0.05) final BW, overall ADG, and muscle depth than the BPD2 pigs, but lower (P<0.05) iodine value in leaf fat and greater (P<0.05) belly firmness score compared with the other two treatments. Furthermore, the COND pigs tended (P<0.10) to have greater final BW, overall ADG, and muscle depth than the BPD1 pigs. Moreover, the COND pigs had greater (P<0.05) overall G:F than the BPD1 pigs. There were no differences (P>0.05) in ADFI and other carcass traits among treatments in the dry feeding group. In liquid fed group, the BPL2 pigs tended (P<0.10) to have lighter final BW compared with the other two treatments, while the CONL pigs ate less (P<0.05), had higher (P<0.05) belly firmness score and lower (P<0.05) iodine value in leaf fat in comparison with pigs in the other two treatments. Furthermore, the CONL pigs had greater (P<0.05) overall G:F than pigs in the BPL2 group. Carcass characteristics were not affected (P<0.05) among treatments. Collectively, our data suggested that inclusion of 15% barley in the late finishing phase did not improve growth performance, carcass traits, and belly firmness of pigs fed ethanol co-products.