Feasibility of Growing and Feeding High Oil Corn to Pigs

1999 University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension Swine Report. A feasibility analysis on the growing and feeding of high-oil corn (HOC) to pigs was conducted. The cost to produce HOC is about 25 to 32 cents per bushel higher than for normal corn (NC), primarily due to 7 to 10 percent yield reduction for HOC. Diets made with HOC contain between 1.5 and 3 percent additional fat. Therefore, feed efficiency should be improved, on average, by 3 to 6 percent when HOC is substituted for NC. In most cases, daily gain should improve by 0 to 3 percent with HOC in the diet. High-oil corn grown in central Nebraska during 1997 averaged 6.2 percent oil (12 percent moisture). When HOC (6.2 percent oil) is used to replace NC in growing-finishing pig diets, it is worth 21 to 25 cents more than NC, assuming NC and 44 percent protein soybean meal cost $2.50 per bushel and $250 per ton, respectively. When NC and soybean meal cost $2 per bushel and $200 per ton, HOC is worth 17 to 20 cents more than NC. If HOC is used to replace animal or vegetable fat in pig diets, it is worth about 40 cents per bushel more than NC, if supplemental fat costs 20 cents per pound. The only economic benefit given to HOC was an increase in feed efficiency. These results suggest no current economic incentive for producers to grow and feed HOC.