Precision feeding can significantly reduce feeding cost and nutrient excretion in growing animals

Abstract

Precision feeding is an agricultural concept that relies on theexistence of between-animal variation and involves the use of feedingtechniques that allow the right amount of feed with the rightcomposition to be provided at the right time to each pig of the herd.Precision feeding is proposed as an essential approach to improvenutrient utilization and thus reduce feeding cost and nutrientexcretion. The potential impact of using precision feeding techniques onfeeding cost and nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) excretion was evaluatedin this study. The growing pig module of InraPorc (R) was slightlymodified and used to estimate lysine requirements and simulate growth ofindividual pigs and the overall population. Detailed information of bodycomposition of individual pigs, feed intake and growth performance wasused to calibrate the model. Simulated pigs were fed either according toa typical three-phase feeding program or individually with a dailytailored feed as could be provided using precision feeding techniques.Feeding cost was determined according to common commercial pig feedssold in Quebec, Canada. As expected, simulated N and P retention was notaffected (P>0.05) by the feeding method. However, feeding pigs withdaily tailored diets reduced (P<0.001) N and P intake by 25% and 29%,respectively and nutrient excretions were reduced both by more than38%. Feed cost was 10.5% lower for pigs fed daily tailored diets. Infact, population protein and P requirements were established to optimizeaverage daily gain of the population. Estimated nutrient requirementsdid not include safety margins as normally used in commercial feeds andtherefore, the simulated N and P reductions are probably underestimated.Phosphorus excretion should be interpreted with caution because actualmodels simulating P retention seldom take into account the effect of Pintake in P retention and bone mineralisation. Precision feeding can bean efficient approach to significantly reduce feeding cost and theexcretion of N and P in animal production systems.