Fighting High Feed Cost by Improving Pig Feed Conversion
Young Animal : Nutrition
Currently, highly fluctuating ingredient prices that influence pig feed cost are encouraging swine producers to evaluate their feeding programs.
The worst parameter that can be used in feeding program evaluation is feed cost per ton, which does not account for the effects on pig growth performance. A good parameter that can be used in the evaluation is cost of feed per pound of gain. Therefore, any improvement in pig feed conversion can be considered as an opportunity to fight the increasing feed prices.
In order to optimize pig feed conversion (F/G), it is important to recognize the factors that can affect it and their effects (potential to increase or decrease F/G). The following factors can have a significant influence on F/G.
It is important that producers identify the management practices that can help them optimize feed conversion while maximizing profitability. Efficient feeder management and biosecurity practices can have dramatic effects on improving feed conversion. This includes rodent control (see factors 1 to 13). Manipulation of nutrient levels in the diet needs to be oriented to match pig nutrient requirements, and to improve pig nutrient utilization (see factors 14 to 19).
The worst parameter that can be used in feeding program evaluation is feed cost per ton, which does not account for the effects on pig growth performance. A good parameter that can be used in the evaluation is cost of feed per pound of gain. Therefore, any improvement in pig feed conversion can be considered as an opportunity to fight the increasing feed prices.
In order to optimize pig feed conversion (F/G), it is important to recognize the factors that can affect it and their effects (potential to increase or decrease F/G). The following factors can have a significant influence on F/G.
It is important that producers identify the management practices that can help them optimize feed conversion while maximizing profitability. Efficient feeder management and biosecurity practices can have dramatic effects on improving feed conversion. This includes rodent control (see factors 1 to 13). Manipulation of nutrient levels in the diet needs to be oriented to match pig nutrient requirements, and to improve pig nutrient utilization (see factors 14 to 19).
1Feed Waste Pork Industry Handbook (PIH)144 National Pork Board Purdue University West Lafayette, Indiana
2Scours Swine Health PIH 183-243
3Continuous Flow Pork Production PIH 271-275
4Pneumonia Swine Health PIH 189-221
5Mange External Parasite Control PIH 325
6Multiple Source Pigs Production and Management Systems PIH 43
7Mixing pigs Animal Welfare and Behavior Handling Pigs PIH 413
8Marketing above 270 lbs. Marketing and slaughter of Hogs PIH 453
9500 pigs Space Allocation Decisions for Nursery and G/F facilities PIH 251
10Square footage G/F facilities PIH 251
11Internal parasites Feed Additives for Swine PIH 45
12 & 13Temperatures Facilities and Equipment Environment in Swine Housing PIH 207
14Proper Protein Swine Nutrition PIH
15Particle Size Grumm, M.C., S.L. Colgan and K.J. Bruns 2008 Effect of out-of-feed events and diet particle size on pig performance and welfare J.Swine Health Prod 16(2):72-80 Wondra,K.J., J.D.Hancock, K.C. Behnke and C.R. Stark 1995 Effects of mill type and particle size uniformity on growth performance, nutrient digestibility and stomach morphology in finishing pigs J AnSci 73:2564-2573
16Pelleted Feed Hancock, J.D. and K.C Behnke 2001 Use of ingredient and diet processing technologies (grinding, mixing, pelleting and extruding) to produce quality feeds for pigs . In: Swine Nutrition, Second edition. Edited by A.J. Lewis and L.L. Southern pp 469-497
17Additives McKean, J Feed additives for swine national Pork Board PIH
18Phosphorus Managing Nutrient Excretion and Odor in Pork Production through Nutrition PIH
19Fat Dietary Energy for Swine PIH 39
20Genetics Breeding Genetics PIH
