title: Effect of variety and drying method on the nutritive value of corn for growing pigs.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This experiment was conducted to determine the nutritive value of corn from the north of China for growing pigs. The experiment examined corn variety (LS1, LS2, LS3 and LS4) grown in one location, drying method (sun dried and artificially dried) and different drying temperatures. Corn harvested at 20-25% moisture was dried to about 12% moisture by sun drying and artificially drying at 80, 100, or 120°C in a fluidized bed dryer. Ninety-six barrows (average BW of 33.4 ± 2.7 kg) were housed in individual metabolism crates to facilitate separate collection of feces and urine. A five-day collection period followed a seven-day diet acclimation period.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results indicated that variety significantly influenced (P < 0.01) the 1,000 kernel weight of corn but not the bulk weight. Variety also influenced the available energy content (digestible energy of dry matter, P < 0.01; metabolisable energy of dry matter, P < 0.01) and digestibility of organic matter (P < 0.01), as well as dry matter (P < 0.01) and gross energy (GE) content (P < 0.02). The drying method of corn significantly influenced the 1,000 kernel weight (P < 0.01), bulk weight (P < 0.01) and digestibility of ether extract (EE) (P < 0.01). No effect of drying temperature on the digestibility of organic matter, dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), acid detergent fiber (ADF) and gross energy was observed, but gelatinization (P < 0.05) and test weight (P < 0.01) decreased with an increase in temperature.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Variety has a significant impact on the nutritive value of corn for growing pigs, and greater attention needs to be paid to these influences in the assignment of the nutritive value of corn given to growing pigs.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, Ministry of Agriculture Feed Industry Centre, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China.
authors.forename: Quanfeng
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, Ministry of Agriculture Feed Industry Centre, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China.
authors.forename: Meng
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, Ministry of Agriculture Feed Industry Centre, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China.
authors.forename: Chuanxin
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, Ministry of Agriculture Feed Industry Centre, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China.
authors.forename: Dewen
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, Ministry of Agriculture Feed Industry Centre, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China.
authors.forename: Xiangshu
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Piao
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, Ministry of Agriculture Feed Industry Centre, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China.
authors.forename: Defa
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, Ministry of Agriculture Feed Industry Centre, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China.
authors.forename: Changhua
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lai