218 - Replacement of Soybean Meal with Corn DDGS and Crystalline Amino Acids Impacts Performance and Carcass Characteristics of Finishing Pigs

This study evaluated the effects of replacing soybean meal (SBM) with DDGS and crystalline amino acids on growth, carcass lean, and carcass yield of finishing pigs. Pigs (n = 480; 83.1±0.35 kg) were blocked by BW and sex and assigned to 80 pens (3 gilts and 3 barrows/pen). Treatments were arranged as a 2×4 factorial with DDGS included at 0 or 20% and L-lysine·HCl (LYS) added at 0.0, 0.2, 0.4, or 0.6%. Diets were balanced for ideal protein and NE and contained 0.75% and 0.67% SID lysine for Phase 1 (21 days) and Phase 2 (to market, 13 or 20 days), respectively. Only 0.49% LYS was necessary to meet the SID lysine requirement for the highest LYS (0.6%) diet for Phase 2. As LYS increased, dietary SBM inclusion decreased from 21.75% to 2.85% (Phase 1) and 18.75% to 3.35% (Phase 2) for control diets. It decreased from 18.40% to 0% (Phase 1) and 15.40 to 0% (Phase 2) for DDGS diets. During Phase 1, DDGS decreased ADG (992 vs. 1039 g/d; P = 0.031) and ADFI (3424 vs. 3503 g/d; P = 0.061). Increasing LYS linearly decreased ADG (1031, 1037, 1035, 959 g/d; P=0.026) and G:F (299, 295, 298, 281 g/kg; P = 0.026). Treatments did not impact Phase 2 performance. Overall, DDGS reduced ADG (1098 vs. 1131 g/d; P = 0.048) and ADFI (3638 vs 3712 g/d; P = 0.070). Supplemental LYS linearly decreased ADG (1133, 1141, 1120, and 1064 g/d; P = 0.005) and G:F (310, 305, 304, and 295 g/kg; P = 0.006). ADFI increased quadratically (P = 0.002) with LYS within SBM control, but not DDGS (interaction; P = 0.009). Ultrasound loin-eye-area corrected for BW tended to decrease quadratically (48.3, 48.8, 49.1, 47.4 cm²; P = 0.060) with increasing LYS. DDGS reduced carcass yield (72.62 vs. 73.04%; P = 0.034). Replacement of SBM with DDGS and high amino acid inclusion negatively impacted growth performance and carcass yield of finisher pigs.