Net energy content of rice bran, corn germ meal, corn gluten feed, peanut meal, and sunflower meal in growing pigs

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this experiment was to determine the net energy (NE) content of full-fat rice bran (FFRB), corn germ meal (CGM), corn gluten feed (CGF), solvent-extracted peanut meal (PNM), and dehulled sunflower meal (SFM) fed to growing pigs using indirect calorimetry or published prediction equations. METHODS: Twelve growing barrows with an average initial body weight (BW) of 32.4±3.3 kg were allotted to a replicated 3×6 Youden square design with 3 successive periods and 6 diets. During each period, pigs were individually housed in metabolism crates for 16 d, which included 7 days for adaptation. On d 8, the pigs were transferred to the respiration chambers and fed one of the 6 diets at 2.0 MJ metabolizable energy (ME)/kg BW(0.6)/d. Total feces and urine were collected and daily heat production was measured from d 9 to d 13. On d 14 and d15, pigs were fed at their maintenance energy requirement level. On the last day pigs were fasted and fasting heat production was measured. RESULTS: The NE of FFRB, CGM, CGF, PNM, and SFM measured by indirect calorimetry method was 12.33, 8.75, 7.51, 10.79, and 6.49 MJ/kg dry matter (DM), respectively. The NE/ME ratios ranged from 67.2% (SFM) to 78.5% (CGF). The NE values for the 5 ingredients calculated according to the prediction equations were 12.22, 8.55, 6.79, 10.51, and 6.17 MJ/kg DM, respectively. CONCLUSION: The NE values were the highest for FFRB and PNM and the lowest in the corn co-products and SFM. The average NE of the 5 ingredients measured by indirect calorimetry method in the current study was greater than values predicted from NE prediction equations (0.32 MJ/kg DM).