The University of Saskatchewan and the Prairie Swine Centre suggested that hog producers use rye to replace corn, wheat, or barley swine rations. 
Researchers evaluated a high-yielding hybrid variety of rye developed in Germany that is less susceptible to ergot. This mycotoxin reduces the feed intake and growth of animals that consume it and can be fatal. 
Dr. Denise Beaulieu, an Assistant Professor with the University of Saskatchewan, said as long as the energy content of the ration remained high, diets containing up to 40 percent rye resulted in feed intake, growth and carcass composition similar to that of corn or wheat-barley based diets. 
A plant breeding company in Germany developed the new hybrid variety of rye but it is quite widely available in Canada. It yields well so the farmers like it.  
“But as an animal scientist, I’m very excited because it isn’t quite as susceptible to ergot. Ergot is a mycotoxin that affects rye and animals that consume it would see decreased feed intake and reduced growth.” 
It can become severe and be fatal if they consume too much of it.  
Work 20 years ago showed that rye could be a substitute for wheat and soybean meal as an excellent feed but wasn’t widely used nor grown because of this ergot issue. Farmers grew it specifically for the brewing industries, so it wasn’t widely available.  
“With these new varieties, we think the acreages will increase and there could be more available for animal feed. With fewer ergot worries we want to understand how to include it in feed rations.” 
With increased acres and some years, the grade drops then the animal feed industry would have one more ingredient. 
“We’re trying to diversify our rations making us less dependent on the traditional grains and giving us more flexibility.” 
Dr. Beaulieu said it provides a good source of energy amino acids and proteins. However, the fibre composition is slightly different, making that the focus of this research and how it might affect feed intake. Several studies in Alberta some preliminary work at the university showing pigs fed diets with up to 40 to 50 per cent rye did well. The study indicated that those with high rye didn’t do well when the diets contained less energy. 
Feeding pigs’ diets lower in energy, the pig eats more doing fine compensating for the lower energy. However, one experiment showed this wasn’t happening, so this experiment will test that hypothesis. 
The Prairie Swine Center conducted this experiment with 160 pigs about 60 kilograms of body weight split between gilts and barrows, five pigs per pen. The pigs went from 60 kilograms to market weight at about 130 kilograms of body weight. 
The pigs received diets formulated with high and low energy, but some had a bit more energy than others, like corn-based diet or wheat barley-based diet with 40 per cent rye. 
With the high-energy diets, the pigs did fine with the inclusion of 40 per cent rye—no difference in growth, feed intake, body weight, or carcass composition. But with the low energy diet, without rye and high wheat, low energy diet, the pigs did fine but ate more. 
“We think it’s something to do with its fibre. The take-home message to producers is the pigs will do fine with 40 to 50 per cent rye in the diet, but the diets must have this higher energy composition.” 
Dr. Beaulieu said some lab work remains to look for information on why this is happening. They’ve collected fecal samples to look at fibre digestibility in these pigs to see why they didn’t compensate. What’s happening with feed intake? But currently, any swine nutritionist or feed producer could use the information. If they want to include rye in the diet, they must formulate their diets at a higher energy level. •
— By Harry Siemens