Better Pork February 2017

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32 Better Pork February 2017
NUTRITION
Many swine producers have
made the switch to pel-
leted rations in an effort to
optimize grower-finisher produc-
tion, with the goal of improving feed
efficiency and minimizing waste of
valuable nutrients.
However, research at the Univer-
sity of Guelph dating as far back as
2004 identified risks to pig health
when feeding pelleted diets. These
diets can cause an increase in the
incidence of ulcers in finishing pigs
and ultimately lead to increases in
mortality.
At the moment, there is not
enough data to clearly determine the
best option to maximize pig perfor-
mance for producers who choose
to feed a limited amount of pelleted
feed during the finishing period.
Although the effects of feeding pel-
leted feed for varying lengths of time
or pulse feeding (switching between
pelleted and meal diets) have been
evaluated, the effects of pelleted feed
on stomach morphology has not
been clearly established.
Researchers at Kansas State Uni-
versity in the United States recently
set out to assess rotational feeding of
pellet and meal diets. This study was
an attempt to see if pork producers
could realize the benefits of pelleting
without increasing the incidence of
gastric ulcers and the corresponding
pig removals commonly associated
with a regimen of continuous pellet
feeding.
A total of 2,100 pigs were used in
a 118-day trial, starting at 32 kg body
weight, to determine the effects of
pellet or meal feeding strategies on
finishing pig growth performance,
stomach morphology and carcass
characteristics. Corn-soybean meal
diets containing 15 per cent dried
Balancing the benefits of pellet feeding
with the health of grower-finisher pigs
Pelleted diets can help to minimize feed waste and improve feed efficiency. But, these feeds can also
cause stomach ulcers and deaths. Researchers demonstrate benefits of rotational feeding patterns.
by JANICE MURPHY
agnormark/iStock/Getty Images Plus photo
Many swine producers have made the switch to pelleted rations in
an effort to optimize grower-finisher production, with the goal of
improving feed efficiency and minimizing waste of valuable nutrients.