Effect of pellet feed prepared with shochu [spirits] distiller's by-product on the growth, health and meat quality of growing and finishing swine

In this study, one feeding experiment (Exp.1) with crossbred swine (WL * D)(from 60 to 115kg of expected body weight (BW)) at Kamo Experimental Ranch (Chubu Shiryo, Co. Ltd.) and three field experiments with Berkshire from 60 to 115 kg of expected BW (Exp.2), from 30 to 115kg of expected BW (Exp.3) and from 10 to 115 kg of expected BW (throughout test)(Exp.4) at Nagata Farm were conducted in order to investigate the stimulatory effect on growth, feed efficiency, meet quality and so on, of pellet feeds produced from shochu distillerfs by-product (SDB)(sweet potato shochu distillerfs condensed solubles + its cake) as a main materials and soybean meal as a sub-material. SDB contents on dry matter basis of the test feeds used in this study were 2.26% in Exp.1 at Kamo Experimental Ranch, 1.77% in Exp.2 at Nagata Farm, 3.00% (expected BW:30-60 kg) and 3.00%(expected BW:60-115 kg) in Exp.3 at Nagata Farm and 2.90 %(expected BW:10-30 kg), 2.42 % (expected BW:30-60 kg) and 2.26 % (expected BW:60-115 kg) in Exp.4 at Nagata Farm. Commercial formula feeds were used as control feeds. Results obtained were as follows: (1) In the feeding experiment at Kamo Experimental Ranch (Exp.1), although average daily gain in test animals was c.19 % higher than that in control animals, average daily intake in test animals was also c. 13 % higher. Thus, as a result, the feed efficiency in test animals tended to show a value only c. 6 % higher than that in control animals. Though no difference in meat quality was found between test and control animals, average vitamin E content in meat of the test animals was significantly higher than that of control animals. (2) In the case of expected BW from 60 to 115 kg in the field experiment at Nagata Farm (Exp.2), both average daily gain and feed efficiency in control animals were higher than those of test animals by c. 10 and 15 %, respectively. Real reason is not sure, but a lower value of SDB content (1.77 %)compared with those in other experiments might affect the results. There were no differences in blood constituents and health between test and control animals. In terms of behavior, a large difference in the social order and hence an abnormal behavior such as biting ears were observed in test animals. No difference in meat quality was found between test and control animals, but average vitamin E content in the meat of the test animals was also significantly higher than that of control animals. Organoleptic evaluation of the meat showed that major persons felt favorite for the meat of the test animals. (3) In the case of expected BW from 30 to 115 kg in the field experiment at Nagata Farm (Exp.3), average daily gain in the test animals was c. 10% higher than that in the control animals and average daily intake in the test animals was also c. 7 % higher than that in the control animals. Thus, as a result, the feed efficiency in test animals tended to show a value only c. 3 % higher than that in control animals. There were no differences in blood constituents and health between test and control animals.