Feeding to MAXIMIZE Your Grid Producer Returns Depend on: Market price Index value of the carcass (+/-100) lean yield (%) backfat thickness (mm) loin eye area (mm) weight of the carcass (kg dressed weight) Current grading system: favors lack of fat, rather than lean 1 mm less fat depth = 7.5 mm more lean depth no real assessment of pork quality RULE #1 = Ship at correct weight! Heavy Ontario Grid RULE #2 = Maximize lean! Feeding for Optimum Lean When initiating a feeding program, producers should have 5 items in place: clear goals, objectives and expectations what do you want to achieve maximum lean gain/day, efficiency of lean deposition, minimize backfat system to monitor performance improvements allows assessment and fine-tuning of feeding program ensure accuracy, if mixing feed on-farm evaluation of the production environment ability to control flow, environment, health status knowledge of the genetic potential of the pigs Background Information
What is Lean? What is Fat? Lean = muscle composed of 75% water, 20% protein, 4% lipid Fat composed of 88% lipid, 3% protein, 9% water Fat deposition consumes approximately 4 times more energy than lean deposition due to high water content of muscle Basic Principles Carcass quality = function of energy and amino acid supply and ratio between them Amino acid intake largely determines rate of lean tissue growth Energy intake objective = provide just enough energy to maximize lean tissue gains hard to do since large variation within and between genotypes in some genotypes, energy intake is never sufficient to reach lean growth potential Basic Principles If the fastest growing pigs are also the fattest, unlikely that energy intake is limiting slight energy restriction in final finishing stage could improve carcass quality As lean gain potential improves, energy intake is more likely to limit lean gain if there is no relationship between growth rate and carcass lean yield, energy intake likely limits lean tissue gain up to market weight potential to increase gains by increasing energy density of ration (ie: adding fat) Basic Principles Maximum body protein deposition (Pd max )is determined by the pig s genetic potential Actual protein deposition is determined by: protein intake energy intake maximum protein deposition (Pd max ) Stress can prevent pigs from expressing their true Pd max environmental stress - e.g. pig density exposure to disease Energy Intake and Lean Gain No other nutrients limit protein deposition Estimating Lean Growth Rates Lean Gain Extra lean gain per unit extra energy intake Energy Intake Lean gain potential Fat gain Energy intake at which lean gain is just reached Daily lean gain = [carcass weight* x % lean yield (grading slips)] - [start weight (25 kg) x 35% (est. lean yield)] days to market * warm dressed carcass weight (kg) - 8 kg Lean gain potential + feed intake determines type of diet that should be fed
Developing the Feeding Program Amino acid requirements can be established based on lean gain potential low (300 g/day) medium (325 g/day) high (350 g/day) Monitor feed intake track feed intake in pens, or groups of pens, over two week periods at intervals up to market weight develop feed intake curve Matching Nutrient Requirements Matching diet to nutrient requirements of pig Methods of matching requirements: split-sex feeding barrows eat more, grow faster, less efficient, etc. closely match energy and protein requirements phase feeding tailor the ration to the nutrient requirements of the pig in a step-wise fashion as it grows 1 phase 2 phase = $2/pig financial benefit halves with each step The Phase Feeding Advantage Steps to Maximizing / Optimizing Carcass Lean Content Diet Nutrient Level (%) Phase 1 Under-feeding Over-feeding Phase 2 Phase 3 Requirement Body Weight (kg) Choose pigs with high potential for lean gain Minimize environmental stresses (crowding and/or disease pressures) sub-clinical disease can reduce lean by ~5% Meet requirements for essential nutrients (amino acids, vitamins, minerals) to allow expression of performance potential Establish optimum energy intake level Carcass Modifiers Future Possibilities Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) Ractopamine (Paylean TM ) Current Possibilities Betaine Carnitine Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) Commercially produced from sunflower oil NOT currently approved for use in pig feed improves feed conversion significantly increases lean percentage decreases subcutaneous fat reasonable suggestion that CLA should provide 1.4% increase in percent lean 0.10 improvement in feed efficiency increased firmness of belly, improved water holding capacity, uniformity of colour, marbling research is ongoing to determine inclusion rates
Effect of CLA on Growth Performance and Carcass Characteristics of Finishing Pigs ADG (kg/day) Feed Intake (kg/day) Feed Efficiency Total Lean (%) Total Subcutaneous Fat (%) CLA 1.01 2.92 2.89 61.8 20.6 Diet Sunflower Oil 1.01 3.08 3.07 60.4 22.1 Change 0-0.16-0.18 +1.4-1.5 Source: Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Lacombe Research Centre Ractopamine Repartitioning agent directs nutrients away from fat to increase lean deposition shift in nutrient requirements physiological demand of rapid growth means that the pig requires additional protein NOT currently approved for use in Canada in the US, ractopamine hydrochloride is approved for pigs as Paylean TM (Elanco) being fed at levels of 4.5-18 kg/tonne Rations Paylean TM in Late Finishing Hot carcass weight (lbs) Feed cost for 42 days ($) Premium/ cwt carcass ($) Control (no Paylean) Step-Down (18 9 4.5) Step-Up (4.5-9-18) Constant (10.5 g/ton) 191.8 a 195.0 b 195.5 b 195.6 b 19.94 a 21.01 b 19.22 a 19.75 a 2.78 a 3.55 a 5.81 b 5.58 b Premium/pig ($) 5.31 a 7.05 a 11.50 b 10.95 b Value over control ($/pig) 0.00 1.74 6.19 5.64 Source:Herr, C.T. et al. 2000. Optimal Paylean TM sequence when fed to late-finishing swine. http://www.ansc.purdue.edu/swine/porkpage/nutrient/paylean/optimalpayleansequence.html Betaine Repartitioning agent provitamin extracted from sugar beet molasses refining process typically added to finishing rations at 1-2 kg/tonne for 30-40 days prior to slaughter research worldwide has yielded variable results betaine supplementation during the finishing phase may improve carcass characteristics most research results indicate an inconsistent positive effect on loin eye area, lean yield, backfat thickness, growth and performance effects are modest and variable Carnitine Repartitioning agent chemically produced marketed as an aid to human athletic performance research results from Kansas State University decreased average backfat thickness increased loin muscle area percent lean percent muscle KSU suggests adding 50 ppm carnitine to the growing/finishing ration for the greatest effect research is ongoing Finding the Information You Need Ask for help! Nutritionist Feed salesperson Veterinarian Consultant Do it yourself! Notepad and calculator Spreadsheet PorkMa$ter OINK
PorkMa$ter http://www.aps.uoguelph.ca/~porkm/ Computerized performance monitoring system for grower-finisher pigs based on feed intake and growth curves allows input of different grading grids Can be used to: estimate profit in individual units estimate performance over entire grower-finisher phase or short body weight ranges estimate optimum shipping weights assist in developing farm-specific feeding and management strategies Impact of Variation in Shipping Weights Margin ($/pig) $35.00 6 $30.00 4 $25.00 2 $20.00 $15.00 $10.00 $5.00 $0.00 102.5 105 107.5 110 112.5 115 Final Carcass Weight (kg) Need Login and Password from Ontario Pork Source: Doug Richards, 2003 London Swine Conference Proceedings
An Example Heavier Market Weight? Example year-end summary from Ontario Pork - distribution of carcasses across grading grid (Current Ontario) Yield Class Average 60 67.5 72.5 77.5 82.5 87.5 92.5 97.5 105 Total# % of total 1 66 0 0 3 8 6 8 1 0 0 26 1.1 2 63.05 2 5 30 115 201 136 26 2 1 518 21.1 3 60.7 3 4 29 170 468 357 90 19 4 1144 46.7 4 58.65 0 3 6 66 206 223 86 17 1 608 24.8 5 56.9 0 1 5 11 42 52 15 8 0 134 5.5 6 55.4 0 0 0 1 10 5 0 1 0 17 0.7 7 53 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 3 0.1 Total# 5 13 73 371 936 781 218 47 6 2450 % of total 0.2 0.5 3.0 15.1 38.2 31.9 8.9 1.9 0.2 Average carcass weight (kg) 84.15 carcass lean yield (%) 60.49 Avg dressed wt Aiming for 92.5 kg? What happens to feed cost/pig? table shows results as we change shipping weight (carcass weight) over different feed costs compare 7 to 5 @ $250/tonne = $11.25 more feed/pig Feed Costs ($/metric tonne) 60 67.5 72.5 77.5 82.5 87.5 92.5 97.5 105 F:G 3.40 3.40 3.40 3.40 3.50 3.60 3.60 3.60 3.70 150-12.75-9.56-6.38-3.19 0.00 3.38 6.75 10.13 13.59 175-14.88-11.16-7.44-3.72 0.00 3.94 7.88 11.81 15.86 200-17.00-12.75-8.50-4.25 0.00 4.50 9.00 13.50 18.13 225-19.13-14.34-9.56-4.78 0.00 5.06 10.13 15.19 20.39 250-21.25-15.94-10.63-5.31 0.00 5.63 11.25 16.88 22.66 275-23.38-17.53-11.69-5.84 0.00 6.19 12.38 18.56 24.92 Aiming for 92.5 kg? What happens to total revenue? table shows results as we change shipping weight (carcass weight) over different carcass prices @ $160/ckg = $17.76 more revenue/pig picture would change with different lean yield, grids, and premiums 60 67.5 72.5 77.5 82.5 87.5 92.5 97.5 105 100-87.41-59.66-26.71-11.26 0.00 6.43 11.10 3.00-18.08 120-104.89-71.59-32.05-13.51 0.00 7.71 13.32 3.60-21.69 $/ckg 140-122.37-83.52-37.39-15.76 0.00 8.99 15.54 4.20-25.31 160-139.85-95.45-42.73-18.01 0.00 10.28 17.76 4.80-28.92 180-157.33-107.38-48.07-20.26 0.00 11.57 19.98 5.40-32.54 200-174.81-119.31-53.41-22.51 0.00 12.85 22.20 6.00-36.15 Aiming for 92.5 kg? What happens to return over feed costs? table shows results as we change shipping weight (carcass weight) over different carcass prices (feed @ $250/tonne) @ $160/ckg = $6.51/pig beyond 7 and below 5 loss in revenue Where Do We Go From Here? Weigh pigs Feeding Program Genetics 60 67.5 72.5 77.5 82.5 87.5 92.5 97.5 105 100-66.16-43.72-16.08-5.94 0.00 0.80-0.15-13.88-40.73 120-83.64-55.65-21.42-8.20 0.00 2.08 2.07-13.28-44.35 $/ckg 140-101.12-67.58-26.76-10.45 0.00 3.37 4.29-12.68-47.96 160-118.60-79.51-32.11-12.70 0.00 4.66 6.51-12.08-51.58 180-136.08-91.44-37.45-14.95 0.00 5.94 8.73-11.48-55.19 200-153.56-103.38-42.79-17.20 0.00 7.22 10.95-10.88-58.81
Conclusions Feeding programs cannot increase performance beyond the pig s genetic capacity BUT it should be designed to challenge the pig s potential for lean gain Determine the optimum nutrient density of the feed, based on feed intake Supply all nutrients required to maximize lean gain potential while optimizing profitability consider feed costs and current market conditions For More Information Fergus Resource Centre Phone: (519) 846-3401 Fax: (519) 846-8178 E-mail: janice.murphy@omaf.gov.on.ca