Read the complete report: Vitamin E and selenium status of pigs fed DDGS diets and relationship to Mulberry Heart Disease
About this report:
In recent years, the use of DDGS has increased. Along with this increase, so have the cases of MHD in nursery pigs. Some theories state that including DDGS may be a contributing factor to MHD. This study was done to determine if including DDGS in sow and nursery pig diets is a contributing factor to MHD, and whether supplementing diets with higher levels of vitamin E will reduce the incidence of MHD.
Project outcomes:
Feeding DDGS to sows for a long-term (40% inclusion rate for gestation and 20% for lactation) did not compromise vitamin E and selenium rates and none of the pigs in this study developed MHD. Feeding a diet of up to 30% DDGS to nursery pigs did not compromise vitamin E and selenium status, or result in MHD. Having this information allows livestock producers to make wise decisions about the most affordable and nutritious feed options for their swine, and also helps make use of this coproduct (DDGS) from ethanol production.
Partners:
A special thanks to our funding partners on this research: Minnesota Corn Research & Promotion Council and Minnesota Pork Board.
Questions?
For questions or additional information, please contact AURI at 800.279.5010.