Practical Ideas to Address High Feed and Production Costs
Pork producers are facing a period of rapidly increasing feed and production costs. The following management tips and resources have been compiled by the Pork Checkoff to assist producers in identifying opportunities to increase efficiencies and reduce costs.
This information was gathered from experts and producers across academia and industry and from many valuable industry-based web sites in the United States and Canada. These tips are not listed in order of priority and implementation should be considered based on the needs of each operation. Included with many of the tips are links for additional information. The list and resources are not all-inclusive and there may be many other sources of information in addition to the ones we have identified in this document.
Many of these tips and many other suggestions for reducing feed costs and increasing efficiencies are available from sources including extension web sites at many major universities. In addition, most of these tips are supported by fact sheets and references that can be found on the Pork Information Gateway (PIG) (user registration is required) and the Pork Checkoff. Additional tips are available from the Prairie Swine Center.
Producers should keep in mind that decreasing feed and production costs is very complex and should be considered carefully. However, small gains in several areas will produce significant savings. By only decreasing the cost of feed per ton, the cost of feed per pound of gain or total feed cost per pig to market weight may actually decrease profitability. Improving feed efficiency may also decrease profitability if actual feed costs increase more than the return received on the increase in efficiency. Producers need to focus on production practices that optimize feed costs and efficiencies while maximizing profitability. Contact your local extension service, nutritionist or veterinarian for additional information and regional recommendations.
Feed Processing and Manufacturing
Decrease feed particle size
For every 100 micron change in particle size, feed efficiency is impacted by 1.2 percent. Decreasing particle size from 750 microns to 600 microns will result in substantial savings per pig. In most cases, this particle size is not fine enough to worry about ulcer problems, but feed dust will be increased.
For more information on analysis of particle size, click here. Spreadsheets and guidelines for calculating particle size are available on this site.
For a fact sheet titled Effects of diet particle size on animal performance, click here. Similar information may be found at other universities.
Improve pellet quality
Fines cause feed wastage but feed utilization and efficiency can be improved by implementing a quality pelleting process that ensures less than 20 percent fines at the feeder. Research at Kansas State University shows that pelleted diets result in more highly available nutrients, less dust, less feed wastage, better feed conversion and lower incidence of ulcer problems. Always check the cost of pelleting against expected efficiency gains to determine if pelleting is economically beneficial.
For more technical information, click here.
Maintain equipment for optimal efficiency
Rotate or replace hammers in the hammer mill to ensure consistent particle size. Also, make sure rolls on the roller mill are properly maintained for the desired particle size. Make sure that mixing equipment is maintained so that distribution of nutrients is ensured throughout the entire volume of feed. Also, calibrate and maintain the scales for weighing pigs and feed at least twice per year.
Consider use of wet-dry feeders
Wet-dry feeders may reduce feed wastage and dust due as pigs can wet the feed to the consistency they desire. Palatability also is improved over dry diets thereby increasing consumption and performance in some cases.
For an article titled, Impact of feeders and drinker devices on pig performance, water use and manure volume, click here.
Repair or replace broken feeders
Broken or damaged feeders can result in excess costs due to feed wastage or inadequate feed provisions for the pigs resulting in poor performance. Consider replacing older or inefficient feeders with well designed, efficient feeders that minimize feed wastage and promote maximum performance.
Adjust feeders to reduce waste
Adjusting feeders to reduce feed wastage should be a routine practice. Minor adjustments of feed bins and transport systems can also result in big savings. Kansas State University recommends the following steps for proper feeder adjustment:
Close feeder completely after cleaning before putting any feed in the feeder
Open feeder just enough to start small feed flow
Shake feeder to increase amount of pellets or meal in pan (to cover one-third of pan)
Clean corners daily instead of increasing feeder adjustment to increase feed flow
Prevent moisture damage and spoilage in feed systems and storage
Eliminate all rodents, birds and other pests
For feeder adjustment cards showing properly adjusted feeders for nursery, grow-finish and lactation, click here.
For a useful reference on how to prevent feed waste, click here.
Feed Management
Monitor feed ingredients for potential mycotoxin contamination
Scientists have identified several mycotoxins that cause significant, detrimental health and performance problems in swine fed contaminated plant-based feedstuffs. Fungal infestation and subsequent mycotoxin production can occur during plant growth, maturity, harvesting, storage and processing of grains, and is influenced primarily by moisture level, temperature, and availability of oxygen. In addition, grain that is damaged, immature, drought stricken or otherwise stressed is more susceptible to mould growth.
For more information, click here.
Monitor feed allocations or budgeted amounts and utilize least-cost formulations
Follow feed budgets aggressively to ensure accurate compliance for each class of pig. Inaccurate rations or incorrect budgets decrease efficiencies and increase costs. For example, rations that have mistakes due to inaccurate scales or measurement or rations that are formulated for the incorrect class or pig weight are inefficient and increase costs. Formulating diets with economic costs in the equation, as well as modeling input requirements, will allow the development of diets at optimum performance and the least cost of ingredients. There are always trade-offs, so it is important to be aware of any detrimental effects of diet formulation on overall cost and/or performance.
For a standard feed budget chart based on a feed efficiency of 2.8 from 50 to 250 pounds, visit Swine Nutrition Guide.
Re-evaluate phase feeding and options for split sex feeding
Review all protocols for each ration phase. Make sure your weight categories and genetic description fit your current rations for each phase as closely as possible. Consider split-sex feeding to further increase feed efficiency. Both of these techniques can improve the accuracy of your rations and increase your production efficiencies. Consider finishing rations that limit or eliminate excess nutrients just prior to slaughter to lower feed costs on your heaviest weight hogs just prior to market.
Target sows’ nutrients
Improve sow productive lifetime by targeting diets for different parity ranges. Diets should have higher protein and energy levels for replacement gilts through parity two to prevent excess mobilization of body reserves during lactation. As sows become older, micronutrients (zinc, copper, iron etc.) become critical nutrients that need to be maintained at high levels in order to maximize production efficiency. Consider the added costs of adding additional feed storage and delivery equipment in gestation and lactation and strategies to sort and feed sows accordingly against the benefits of targeting sow nutrition more accurately and efficiently.
To order sow body condition posters, contact the Pork Checkoff.
For an article titled, Feeding strategies for lactating swine, click here.
For the publication, The changing mineral status of high producing sows—what are their needs and when are the critical periods?, click here.
Decrease/eliminate feed outages
Feed outages significantly impact the efficiency of feed utilization in pigs. The frequency and duration of feed outages needs to be assessed and should be minimized or eliminated whenever possible.
For an extension publication titled, Out of feed events in grow-finish pigs: Causes and consequences, click here.
Make measuring of feed intake/wastage part of the work routine
While difficult to measure feed intake on individual pigs, pen feed intake should be monitored continually to quickly recognize feed wastage, pen health problems, water quality/availability, ventilation challenges and other issues.
Check water flow and quality often
Water is an often-overlooked essential nutrient of pigs. Inadequate flow or availability of water or poor water quality can seriously impact performance or even cause death. Waterers should be easily accessible and checked regularly. Be sure waterers are delivering the designed volume at the proper rate. Check waterers furthest from the well head as this is the point at which pressure is likely to be the poorest. Excessive water use is also inefficient because it has to hauled or pumped as manure.
For an extension publication on suggested daily water intake and water quality guidelines titled, Water: the essential nutrient, click here.
This information also is available in the PQA Plus program. Download the PQA Plus manual by clicking here.
Practice proper feed withdrawal prior to marketing hogs
Consider withdrawing feed from pigs to be marketed for up to 12 hours prior to when the pigs are scheduled to be processed to save on feed consumed, lighten the actual live weight of the hogs marketed and to enhance average carcass quality.
For medicated feed, follow recommended withdrawal times for feed additives to prevent costly carcass condemnations, disruption of market channels, bad publicity for the pork industry or costly rejections of pork in foreign markets. Inadvertently including an ingredient that requires a withdrawal period may force a producer to feed a group of hogs longer than desired which adversely impacts feed efficiency.
For more information, see the PIG fact sheet on feed additives by clicking here.
Feed Formulation
Use DDGS when available at cost effective prices
Distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) are readily available in most areas where pigs are fed and corn is grown. Where transport distance is feasible and product quality and variability can be verified, these byproducts are usually available at competitive prices. Be careful with feed formulation. Typical DDGS have only about 90 percent of the nutrient value of corn with a poor amino acid balance. Follow guidelines for inclusion rates closely.
Recommended levels of DDGS in swine diets – University of Illinois
Stage of Production Recommended Level (Percent of diet)
Gestation 40
Lactation 20
Early Nursery 0
Late Nursery 20
Growing 20
Early Finishing 20
Late Finishing 20
From Stein, H.H. 2007. Distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) in diets fed to swine. Swine Focus #001, Department of Animal Sciences, College of ACES, The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Sows and older market hogs can utilize higher percentages of DDGS in their ration. However, high levels of DDGS in market hogs may negatively impact carcass quality. In proceedings from the 2007 Al Leman Conference, J.E. Pettigrew suggests the following:
Buy DDGS from one or a few plants with which you have developed a relationship
Buy only light-coloured DDGS
Buy only DDGS in which lysine is at least 2.8 percent of crude protein
Avoid DDGS with a high level of “syrup balls”
For additional technical information on feeding distillers grains to livestock, go to University of Minnesota.
South Dakota State University, the University of Illinois and other universities have also done considerable research work with DDGS.
Look for alternative feed ingredients
There are alternative feedstuffs and byproducts available in many areas. Some of these have become very competitive with high grain prices. However, determine the nutritional profile of an alternative feedstuff and its feeding value at the price quoted before you decide to use it. Also, make sure to understand the form in which it will be delivered so extra labor or machinery is not required to make it practical. Examples of alternative feedstuffs include bakery products, glycerin (byproduct of biodiesel manufacturing), poultry fat, etc.
A publication, Alternative feed ingredients for pigs can be viewed by clicking here.
A resource from the Prairie Swine Center is available by clicking here.
Use crystalline amino acids to replace protein ingredients
Use crystalline amino acids to replace protein ingredients. The cost of many crystalline amino acids such as lysine, methionine, tryptophan and threonine have decreased to the extent that replacement of soybean meal in the diet can result in a very palatable, semi-synthetic diet for the pigs with real cost savings. Producers should aggressively monitor ingredient prices and reformulate rations accordingly.
An extension publication titled Role of crystalline amino acids in reducing grow-finish feed costs can be found by clicking here.
Reduce traditional animal protein sources in starter diets for pigs
Animal protein sources should be strictly budgeted in starter diets. Research from North Dakota State University suggests that lower cost, nutrient-dense, high performance, transition pig starter diets can be effectively prepared using reduced levels of spray-dried animal plasma, soy protein concentrate, spray-dried blood meal and dried whey when high energy hull-less oats and hard red spring (HRS) wheat are selected as basal grains. The nutrient-dense ingredients to use in pig starter formulations will depend largely on availability and current economics.
For more information, click here.
Reformulate rations based on energy - review animal requirements for both energy and amino acid levels
Historically, protein has been the most expensive component of a swine ration. Today, energy costs are higher in many rations than protein. Consequently, producers should pay close attention to both the energy and protein costs in the diet to meet the nutritional requirements of their pigs. Rations should be reformulated as often as ingredient prices change. Currently for most producers, energy is the single most critical nutrient because it is the most expensive to provide in the diet. All other nutrients, including protein, are now less expensive and can always be included in amounts that meet or exceed the pig’s requirement for optimum growth.
For more information on energy in swine rations on ThePigSite, click here.
Evaluate the use of antimicrobials, enzymes, acidifiers and other non-nutritive additives
Feed grade antimicrobials have been used for many years in numerous production systems to improve growth and efficiency in nursery and grow-finish hogs. Always follow the label requirements and monitor withdrawals closely. Certain enzymes when added to the ration may help to enhance efficiency. Acid blends and feed medications fall in this category as well. These opportunities should be evaluated for value in each operation. Understand the biological activity to best match the enzyme to your production system and watch for consistency and nutritive value issues with any enzyme or additive. Consider that these compounds may produce the largest return on your feed dollars invested if they produce even a small improvement in growth and/or efficiency in your rations. Now is the time to use all reasonably priced products that have a proven positive effect on feed efficiency.
For more information on acidifiers, visit Pork Checkoff for a copy of the document, A Critical Review of Acidifiers by C.M. Tung and J.E. Pettigrew.
