REPLACEMENT VALUE OF BREWERS DRIED GRAIN FOR MAIZE ON PERFORMANCE OF PIGS

Twenty four crossbred (Landrace x Large White) barrows and gilts of av erage initial weight of 52.0 kg liveweight were used to evaluate the r eplacement value of brewers' dried grain (BDG) for maize in diets of p igs. Animals were randomly allotted to pens and treatments in a random ised block design trail. The treatments were (a) 15% crude protein fin isher diet and diets in which BDG replaced (b) 15%, (c) 30%, and (d) 4 5% of the maize. Pigs were slaughtered on attaining 90 +/- 2.5 kg live weight and carcass data collected. Pigs fed the control diet took shor ter time to attain final slaughter weight (P < 0.01) and time taken to attain slaughter weight increased linearly as the level of BDG increa sed in the diet. The feed intake of pigs decreased linearly (P < 0.01) as the level of maize replaced by BDG increased. However, feed:gain r atio was not significantly different between treatments. The carcass y ield (chilled and warm) and body measurements (body length, chest girt h and loin girth) were not significantly affected by the dietary treat ments. The percentages of shoulder, loin and belly were not significan tly affected by the level of BDG feed. However, the percentage ham inc reased quadratically as the level of BDG replacing maize increased. Th e loin-eye area and the trimmed carcass yield were not significantly d ifferent between treatments. The backfat thickness of pigs decreased n on-significantly as the level of BDG increased in the diet of pigs. Th e organ weights of finisher pigs did not present any clear-cut picture . However, the liver weights of pigs fed high levels of BDG were signi ficantly less when compared to the control.