-Purdue University	
Agricultural Experiment Station Lafayette, Indiana
Mimeo AS-301 August, 1961
LOW-vs. HIGH-MOISTURE SHELLED CORN PRESERVED WITH ANTIBIOTICS AND SODIUM PROPRIONATE FOR GROWING-FINISHING SWINE 1/
J. H. Conrad, Barry Virgin and W. M. Beeson Department of Animal Science
Summary
All pigs in this experiment made similar gains. Fastest gains were 1.66 pounds daily (lot 1) for the pigs fed low-moisture shelled corn. This corn was harvested and stored as ear corn, then shelled as needed. It contained an average of 19 percent moisture when fed.
Pigs gained 1.61 pounds daily (lot 2) when fed high-moisture shelled corn containing 28.2 percent moisture with no preservative added at the time of storing in an airtight silo. Another lot fed high-moisture shelled corn, (29.2 percent moisture) to which 5 grams of zinc bacitracin had been added per ton at the time of ensiling, gained 1.62 pounds daily. A third lot fed high-moisture shelled corn (28. 2 percent moisture) to which had been added 5 grams of zinc bacitracin and 0.5 percent of sodium proprionate gained 1.65 pounds daily.
A soybean meal type supplement containing 87 percent soybean meal was fed free choice in all lots. Although this is a relatively palatable supplement, the average consumption of those fed high-moisture corn (lots 2, 3 and 4) was 0.61 pound daily compared to 0.66 pound daily for those fed shelled corn containing 19 percent moisture.
Pigs fed high-moisture corn (on a dry matter equivalent basis) required only slightly more shelled corn (2.7, 1.1 and 3.6 per-
cent in lots 2, 3 and 4) than pigs fed low-moisture shelled corn. Pigs fed high-moisture corn (on a dry matter equivalent basis) required 1. 3 percent less total feed when corn was preserved with zinc bacitracin (lot 3). However, pigs fed high-moisture corn with no preservative added (lot 2) required 3.5 percent more total feed and pigs fed high-moisture corn with zinc bacitracin and sodium proprionate added (lot 4) required 2.2 percent more total feed than pigs fed low moisture corn (lot 1).
Performance of the various lots of pigs as indicated by the various criteria studied was similar throughout this experiment. Additional research will need to be conducted before any definite conclusions can be reached with regard to the advisability of adding zinc bacitracin or sodium proprionate to high-moisture shelled corn for swine.
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Feeding Values
This is the fifth experiment conducted at Purdue University to compare the relative feeding value of low-moisture shelled corn to high-moisture shelled corn for growing-finishing swine. In all trials the high-moisture corn has been stored in an airtight silo. Earlier research has shown that more high-moisture corn (on a moisture equivalent basis) is required per 100 pounds of gain than when low-moisture shelled corn was fed. This experiment was conducted in an attempt
1/ The research reported in this mimeograph was supported in part by grants-in-aid from the Commercial Solvents Corporation, Terre Haute, Indiana, and by the A. O. Smith Corporation, Kankakee, Illinois, who furnished the Harvestores for storing the high-moisture corn. The zinc bacitracin and sodium prcorionate were supplied by the Commercial Solvents Corporation.