Nutritional Value of Opaque−2 Corn for Swine

Abstract

Four experiments were conducted with weanling pigs to compare the nutritional value of opaque−2 corn with a normal hybrid corn. Similar rates of gain, feed conversions and plasma lysine concentrations were obtained when pigs were fed opaque−2 corn or normal corn supplemented with lysine and tryptophan in combination, but not singly, suggesting that the beneficial effects of opaque−2 corn for swine are primarily due to its higher content of both lysine and tryptophan. Significantly improved gains and feed conversions were obtained when opaque−2 corn was substituted for normal corn on an equal weight basis at suboptimal levels of dietary protein, and comparable gains and feed conversions were obtained with the two corns when the diets were made isonitrogenous by adjusting corn and soybean meal.Opaque−2 corn was preferred over a normal corn-soybean meal diet of equal dietary protein level when both were offered simultaneously.