Nutritional Evaluation of Pearl Millet (Pennisetum glaucum) for Pigs

Purdue University 1995 Swine Research Report. Pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum) is a cereal grain with good drought tolerance and hardiness commonly grown in the semiarid regions of Africa and Asia. Because of its drought tolerance and relatively short growing period, pearl millet has the potential to be grown as a double-crop and also may provide an alternative grain crop during years when inclement weather patterns have delayed planting of corn such that yields would be adversely affected by late summer drought or a short growing season. Pearl millet is likely to gain acceptance in regions where it can be used as a double crop after wheat has been harvested. Thus, pearl millet has the potential for providing an alternative grain source for grain and swine producers. However, little information comparing the digestibility and utilization of corn and pearl millet in the diets of swine is currently available. The higher protein, essential amino acid, oil (1 to 3 percentage points), and gross energy contents of pearl millet compared with other grains suggest that pearl millet may be a valuable grain for use in the diets of the young pig. In order to provide information on the dietary utilization of pearl millet grown under local conditions, four experiments were conducted to evaluate the nutritional value of pearl millet grain compared with corn. Pearl millet grown in two locations were used in the experiments.