<b>By TIM ALEXANDER<br>
Illinois Correspondent</b> </p><p>

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — The Illinois Pork Producers (IPPA) and the National Pork Checkoff Board are joining forces with the Illinois Corn Marketing Board (ICMB) to fund research programs to improve nutrient utilization of swine.</p><p>
The collaborative program was developed from common interests the organizations share in swine industry research related to distillers dried grains (DDGs) and other biofuel co-products, according to IPPA Communications Director Tim Maiers.</p><p>
“This ties in with the increase in feed prices, which obviously has had a big impact on pork producers’ profitability,” Maiers told Farm World. “Hopefully, the research programs will provide some of the answers to lowering feed costs and improving feed efficiencies.”</p><p>
The Checkoff Consortium and the ICMB will set research priorities and recommend funding for research projects. The 2008 pork checkoff programming budget for nutritional efficiency efforts is $500,000 and the ICMB has dedicated an equal amount from their 2008 budget to fund the program.</p><p>
“It’s exciting to have Illinois corn growers, through their checkoff support, collaborate with us on this important program,” remarked Mark Boggess, director of animal sciences for the pork checkoff. “In the long run, we both have very similar goals and we are both much better off by teaming up.”</p><p>
Maiers said specific areas of study key to the IPPA include refining feeding strategies in utilizing DDGs and other co-products, examining co-products’ energy value to livestock and analyzing the fiber digestibility of co-products. Another area of study could involve identifying enzymes in yeast that will improve the efficiency of co-products.</p><p>
“Overall, the goal is to try to optimize feed consumption at varying levels of DDGs’ inclusion rates,” said Maiers. “How do we increase those levels, and with what kind of health effects? There is some sentiment that using DDGs in nursing pigs or grow-finish pigs will actually improve the health impact.”</p><p>
Like the pork producers, the ICGA is preparing its own recommendations for specific program study areas relating to utilizing DDGs and increasing inclusion levels.</p><p>
“By pulling the groups together, we have around $1 million to use for this effort; that’s a big impact,” Maiers said. “We realize this is a very big issue.</p><p>
“With today’s market conditions, improving feeding strategies and inclusion rates for co-products is at the top of our list.”</p><p>
It is expected that funding decisions for the program will be made in early March.</p><p>