Evaluation of enzymatically modified potato starches in diets for weanlingpigs

We conducted three growth trials to evaluate replacing carbohydrate sources with enzymatically modified potato starches in diets for weanling pigs. In Exp. 1, 180 pigs (initially 5.3 kg and 21 +/- 2 d of age) were used to com pare the effects of corn (36.5%), edible-grade oat flour(36.5%), two enzyma tically modified potato starches (12%), and added lactose (12%) on pig perf ormance. Potato Starch 1 had a dextrose equivalent (DE) of 6 and Potato Sta rch 2 had a DE of 20; both were spray-dried maltodextrans. Pigs that were f ed Potato Starch 2 had greater (P <.05) ADG and ADFI than pigs fed diets th at contained corn or oat flour from d 0 to 14 after weaning, and pigs fed e ither Potato Starch 1 or added lactose had intermediate ADG and ADFI. Howev er, for the overall trial(d 0 to 35), no differences (P >.10) in growth per formance were observed. In Exp. 2, 198 pigs (initially 4.3 kg and 19 +/- 2 d of age) were used to determine whether modified Potato Starch 2 could rep lace a portion of the corn or lactose in the diet. The control diet contain ed 10% dried whey, and additional treatments were formulated by adding 7 or 14% modified Potato Starch 2 or lactose in place of corn. A positive contr ol diet was formulated containing 29% dried whey. From d 0 to 14 after wean ing, increasing dietary lactose improved (linear, P <.04) ADG and ADFI. Inc reasing the potato starch had no effect on ADG but increased ADFI (linear, P <.02). In Exp. 3, 180 pigs (initially 3.9 kg and 14 +/- 3 d of age) were used to evaluate Potato Starch 2 or 3 (DE = 30, a spray-dried glucose syrup ) as replacements for either corn or lactose in the diet. Pigs were fed a c ontrol diet containing 15% dried whey and 12% added lactose. Twelve percent modified Potato Starch 2 or 3 replaced either corn or lactose in the diet on a wt/wt basis. From d 0 to 14 and d 0 to 21, pigs fed either modified po tato starch substituted for corn had greater (P <.07) ADG than those fed th e control diet. Pigs fed diets with either modified starch substituted for lactose had similar ADG as those fed the control diet. These results sugges t that when substituted for corn, Potato Starch 2 can improve growth perfor mance of weanling pigs.