EXPERTS' TIPS - PIGS - What to look for when balancing feeds

Many of us forget how important a factor in feeding pigs is the proper balance of feed. As we know, depending on the purpose of breeding and the effects we want to achieve, we will assume different feed parameters. It is also crucial to use the right feed for the right group of animals.

This may seem ridiculous however, among breeders you can still hear opinions that a sow will eat anything and one type of feed is used for both gilts, farrowing sows, lactating sows.

Standardized raw materials such as soybean meal, HP300 or rapeseed meal do not require frequent laboratory testing while cereals do.

As we know, the protein content is affected by many factors, starting with the variety, the fertilization and anti-fungal protection used, as well as the conditions under which the harvest was carried out. Therefore, it is advisable to test each newly purchased batch of raw material.

This is where the nutritional advisor comes in, who will balance the nutritional ration based on information from the laboratory as well as consultation with the manufacturer. He will then send a sample of it to the laboratory for analysis. Based on the test results received and if necessary, he improves the recipe and sends the feed again for testing.

Agrocentrum has two state-of-the-art laboratories.

Located at the factories in Kałęczyn and Grajewo, where qualified personnel work around the clock and it is not uncommon to wait less than a day for precise results.

In addition to balancing the feed, it is also important to use mycotoxin-binding additives, acidifiers and fats.
Mycoabsorbents neutralize the adverse effects of toxins produced by certain species of fungi. This is especially true if we have purchased grain and do not know what antifungal treatments were used in the production process. The use of mycoabsorbents is very important in sow nutrition.

Acidifiers also play an important role in nutrition. They have a preservative effect as well as an antibacterial effect. They stabilize the pH level in feed (more will be said in the next article).

Fats including both soybean and rapeseed oil in swine nutrition have a great impact on feed conversion rate (FCR), and their energy value is very similar. Only in sow feeding is the use of soybean oil not recommended due to the indiscriminate use of glyphosates in soybean crops, which affect reproduction. Fish oil is also used in feed production, as a feed ingredient it has strong properties as a taste attractor (entices animals) however, due to its high instability and the ease with which it spoils (especially in summer) its use is limited. Fats in the form of lard are also used in pig feeding. Mainly in large feedlots because it requires the use of heating and mixing facilities to ensure its fluidity.

When balancing feed, it is also worth paying attention to the composition of the concentrates or farmer’s premixes used. Check whether in their composition they have the right amount of trace elements, vitamins for the group of animals that we will feed. It is worth checking whether they are suitable for the genetics of the animals we breed.
Agrocentrum offers a wide range of MegaVit products paying special attention to the individual needs of the farms we cooperate with. As part of the cooperation, it offers professional advice on both dry and wet feeding.

Pig Nutrition Advisor
Andrew Skocki