Pig diet: Milo economically better than corn?
Many central US swine producers switched in recent years to feeding their stock a corn-based diet. That decision may now need to change.
Rising corn prices
With our recent harvests, as well as the increasing demand for corn in ethanol production, corn prices have risen dramatically – especially in comparison to milo’s (grain sorghum). As a result, milo is emerging in many areas of Kansas as the more economical feed alternative,” said Bob Goodband, swine specialist with Kansas State University Research and Extension.
Milo becomes competitive whenever its price is 96 percent or less of the market value of corn. “In some locations, milo now is just 70 percent of the value of corn,” Goodband said. “Pound for pound, milo can totally replace corn in all swine diets
Average daily gains
Milo colour variety (red, yellow, etc.) seems to have no impact on its nutrition. Average daily gains of pigs fed milo-based diets have proven to be similar to those of pigs fed a corn formulation. Goodband warns that producers should consider, however, that milo is slightly lower than corn in both energy and lysine content. Unless countered, this can lead to a small drop in feed efficiency.
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