In a time of record feed prices, it is essential that feed wastage be minimized. It is estimated that 10% of feed delivered is wasted on the average farm. On a 250 sow unit this can be more than 150 tonnes of feed per year (whole farm — farrow to finish — feed consumption at 6.3 tonnes per sow per year). Feed is wasted along the entire feed line from field to rectum! This article details some of the areas where this wastage occurs at the farm level and focuses on simple management practices to reduce this waste. Reducing feed wastage by half would amount to a reduction in cost of 8-9 AU$c/kgdeadweight — Au$6.30 per pig sold (70kg dead weight — head off —Western Australia norm). This could be the difference between profit and loss on many farms.

(Calculation: 7.5 tonnes x Au$377 average feed price divided by (250×20×70kg) dead weight)

Where is feed wasted?

Feed distribution system and storage

Feed bin management

Avoid unnecessary waste while cleaning feed bins. Leaving spilt feed under the bin only encourages rodents and vermin to the farm — which then consume their own share of feed. Routinely and regularly check the outside, inside of feed bins and their distribution systems.

Feed bin filling

When the feed bin is being filled, avoid all wasted and split feed. Once the feed had been delivered, ensure that the feed bins are properly re-sealed.

Feed outage

Manage and understand feed movement within a feed bin and ensure that feed outages do not occur. If a pig is without feed for 24 hours, a gastric ulcer may occur. This results in poor feed digestion and leakage of blood — which has to be replaced — a chronic feed wastage. Pigs going without feed for more than 6 hours is extremely common on pig farms — to the point it is a normal occurrence at least once in every batch of pigs produced.

Feed storage

Creep feed should not be exposed to temperature extremes if it gets hot it might go stale. A typical example of this is «storing» creep feed within the hot nursery, making the feeding easier for the stockperson.

Feed barrows

If feed is moved around the farm in barrows, ensure that the barrow is kept out of the rain and is covered at all times. Do not overfill feed barrows as this often leads to spillage of feed while moving the barrow around the farm.

Wastage associated with medications in the feed

Place medicated feed into the correct bin. Ensure that all feed bins are numbered and the driver places the correct feed in the correct feed bin. This will avoid having to empty a feed bin or having to live with unintended and expensive medication withdrawal times.

Palatability

All feed which enters the farm should be tasted by the stockperson in charge of the area and the manager to ensure that feed palatability standards are being met. This should include wet feed ingredients.

Do not allow medication to make the feed unpalatable. If there is any concern regarding palatability consider the use of talins to mask the taste. Discuss this with your veterinarian if you have any concerns.

How does a feeder setup Influence the feed wastage?

What is the optimal distance between feeders and drinkers?

What are the negative effects of uncovered feeders?

Why will incorrectly prepared feed increase wastage?

What are the peculiarities of creep feeding?

How much feed is eaten annually by rodents and vermin?

Why are holed feeders set up above the slatted floor especially dangerous?

What feeding mistakes lead to feeds being used as bedding?

What animals are called «unnecessary» and why is it important to avoid feeding them?

You can read more about it in full version of «Profitable Pig Production» magazine, № 12, 2012.