Ongoing research is confirming that native grains, treated with a specific mix of organic acids, will act to boost growing pig performance.
The ongoing trials by University College Dublin (UCD) are being led by Prof. John O’Doherty.
The results of this work, to date, are indicating that the treatment process, an alternative to grain drying, can serve as an alternative to the use of zinc oxide within the pig industry.
This chemical has been included within diets for many years to reduce diarrhoea levels in post-weaned pigs. However, its use has now been banned.
Pig performance
The preservation treatment referenced by O’Doherty comprises a mix of organic acids. It is available in Ireland form Adesco, under the MycoCURB brand name.
He spoke at a recent pig seminar, hosted by Adesco, confirming that the grain treatment process must take place as soon possible after harvest.
“The process will not work on dried grain. So this rules out the use of imported cereals as a treatment option,” he said.
According to O’Doherty, the treatment process works at a number of levels. Successive trials with growing pigs have confirmed higher protein and energy digestion levels, when using treated grain – relative to dried cereals.
There is also strong evidence to show that the use of these treated grains changes the microbial populations right along the pig’s gut in a very beneficial manner.
O’Doherty’s most recent work is confirming that pigs fed with treated barley without zinc oxide outperformed those fed on dried barley and produced equivalent performance to those fed on dried barley with zinc oxide.
This is in line with findings from previous trials. Pigs fed the treated cereal diet had a higher daily feed intake and daily gain and a better feed conversion ratio (FCR) compared to the dried cereals without zinc oxide.
When the trial compared performance against dried cereal with zinc oxide, treated cereal performed marginally better, indicating that it has the potential to offer a solution to diet management with no zinc oxide.
John O’Doherty also confirmed to the conference that his research team is also looking at the potential role for treated grains within sow diets.
Adesco has said that approximately 300,000t of Irish cereals were treated with MycoCURB last year. Propionic acid is the main driver within the product.
According to Teagasc, Ireland’s production of cereals came in at 2.32Mt in 2021.