Evaluating the performance, economic and environmental impacts of using precision feeding techniques in pigs

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível SuperiorThe impact of switching from a conventional to a precision feeding system on pig performance, nutrient balance and feed costs in growing-finishing pigs was evaluated over 84 days in two studies. In the first trial, 60 pigs (41.2 ± 3.9 kg) were used to compare a commercial three-phase feeding program; a control three-phase feeding program, in which pigs were fed within each phase with a constant blend of feeds containing high or low nutrient density; and two multi-phases feeding programs, in which the same feeds were blended daily to meet the nutritional requirements either of the group or of each pig individually. In the second trial, 70 pigs (30.4 ± 2.2 kg) were fed according to five feeding programs: a three-phase control program equivalent to the one used in trial 1 and four multi-phase feeding programs, in which pigs were fed daily with a blend meeting 110%, 100%, 90% or 80% of the estimated individual nutritional requirements. Feed intake was recorded automatically in the feeders and pigs were weighted weekly during the trials. Nitrogen and phosphorus excretions were calculated as the ratio between retention (estimated through densitometer scanning each 28 days) and intake. Feeding pigs with diets tailored daily to individual lysine requirements allowed obtaining similar (P > 0.05) feed intake and weight gain results in comparison with the control treatment in both trials. However, precision feeding reduced (P 0,05) o consumo de ração e o ganho de peso em comparação com o tratamento controle. No entanto, a alimentação de precisão reduziu (P < 0,05) o consumo de lisina digestível em 27% e 26%, a excreção estimada de nitrogênio em 22% e 30%, e os custos de alimentação em 8 % e 10% no primeiro e no segundo estudo, respectivamente, em comparação ao tratamento controle com três fases. O sistema de alimentação de precisão é uma ferramenta eficaz para reduzir a excreção de nutrientes e os custos de alimentação dos animais, sem interferir no desempenho dos suínos