UI's Stein: Alternative Ingredients Could Lower Feed Costs

Pork producers dealing with higher input costs should consult a nutritionist to explore options presented by alternative feed ingredients, according to Hans Stein.

Stein, a University of Illinois Extension swine nutritionist, said a number of feed alternatives are available at different locations in the state that could replace a portion of the corn in hogs’ diets.

Distillers dried grains (DDGs) “obviously are one thing we have a lot of here in Illinois and are available to everyone,” said Stein, who was a featured speaker last week at feed cost management seminars hosted by the Illinois Pork Producers Association (IPPA) at Princeton and Decatur.

IPPA put the seminars together in response to feed prices that in the last year have increased from roughly 45 percent to 50-55 percent of total input costs.

“We feel really comfortable for producers to include up to 20 percent DDGs in the diets of all groups of pigs, if the diet is formulated correctly,” Stein said. “In many cases, we probably could feed (as much as 30 to 40 percent DDGs) but we don’t have the research to prove it yet.”

Producers also may include everything from oats, barley, and wheat byproducts to leftover products from the food processing industry in hogs’ diets, Stein said.

“There are several alternative products that are being marketed to the (pork) industry at relatively attractive prices,” he said.

Producers looking to lower feed costs with alternative products first must be willing to change aspects of their operation and their mindset, Stein said.

FarmWeek, 6-20-2007