As feed costs have risen above historical levels of 65% to 75% of the variable costs of production for many producers, alternative feed ingredients have become more attractive.
To cut feed costs and provide a balanced diet for your pigs, the Alternative Feed Ingredients in Swine Diets brochure online at www.pork.org offers some options.
“This publication offers a very comprehensive list of feed ingredients and may present some opportunities you haven’t thought of,” comments Mark Boggess, director of animal science at the National Pork Board.
The pork checkoff-funded information (available at http://www.pork.org/documents/PorkScience/Alternative%20Feed%Brochure.pdf) covers the many factors affecting the inclusion rate of alternative feed ingredients in swine rations. Ingredients evaluated include alfalfa meal, dried bakery waste, barley, dried beet pulp, corn distiller’s dried grains with solubles, fish meal, flax, oats, wheat and more.
“This information can help you evaluate the cost effectiveness and nutritional value of all available feed ingredients to supply a nutritionally-balanced diet at a minimal cost,” says Boggess.