Ethanol Blog

Feed Ingredients Can Reduce Feed Costs, But Producers Must Understand Nutrients

Cheryl Anderson
By  Cheryl Anderson , DTN Staff Reporter

With the cost of feed being the largest expense associated with brings pigs to market weight, producers should look for new or cheaper ingredients, according to an article by The Pig Site (http://bit.ly/…).

The cost to feed a pig in the grow-finish phase has almost doubled in the past two years, leaving producers with the need to find ways to reduce feed cost, such as using cheaper feed ingredients such as dried distillers grains with solubles or canola meal. Such ingredients can bring producers considerable feed cost savings if they are formulated correctly into diets.

Producers should be sure and understand the nutrients in new feeds to ensure the ration is properly formulated for protein and energy, as well as to avoid overloading nutrients like sulfur. Producers should also know the economic benefits of formulating them correctly into pig diets, as well as any risks associated with using them.

Producers should consult with a nutritionist when using DDGS to make sure they are using the proper inclusion rate and to understand what nutrient it adds to the diet, in order to properly control feed costs and enhance performance.

Cheryl Anderson can be reached at Cheryl.anderson@telventdtn.com .

P[L1] D[0x0] M[300x250] OOP[F] ADUNIT[] T[]
P[] D[728x170] M[320x75] OOP[F] ADUNIT[] T[]
P[L2] D[728x90] M[320x50] OOP[F] ADUNIT[] T[]

Comments

To comment, please Log In or Join our Community .