Nutritional value and metabolizable energy of wheat by‑products used for feeding growing pigs

Abstract

The objective of this work was to evaluate nutritional and energy values of wheat by‑products in diets for growing pigs, and to obtain prediction equations for metabolizable energy. Thirty‑six male pigs were housed in individual metabolic cages. Total collection of feces and urine was carried out in two periods of ten days: five days for adaptation and five days for collection. A randomized complete block design was used, considering the sampling period as a block, with six treatments and six replicates. The reference diet was replaced by 30% of one of the tested by‑products: wheat middlings, fine wheat bran, common wheat bran, coarse wheat bran, and ground coarse wheat bran; the latter was used to evaluate the influence of particle size on digestibility. Crude fiber was the variable that provided the best estimate of metabolizable energy. Fine wheat bran was superior in terms of digestible and metabolizable energy, when compared to coarse wheat bran. Ground coarse wheat bran showed lower digestibility coefficients, and the reduction in its average geometric diameter did not increase nutrient availability. Among the evaluated by‑products, wheat middlings have higher digestible energy, metabolizable energy, and digestible protein, showing high potential use in diets for growing pigs.