The effects of feed budgeting, complete diet blending, and corn supplement blending on finishing pig growth performance in a commercial environment

A total of 808 pigs (PIC 337 x 1050, initially 78.4 ± 1.4 lb BW) were used to compare different feed-blending strategies for finishing pigs using the FeedPro system (Feedlogic Corp., Willmar, MN). There were 3 experimental treatments: (1) a standard-phase complete feed program, (2) blending a high- and low-lysine complete diet (curve), and (3) blending ground corn and a supplement. FeedPro is an integrated feed dispensing system that can deliver and blend 2 separate diets while dispensing. Treatment diets were fed over 4 phases (78 to 231 lb BW) with a common complete diet containing Paylean fed during the fifth phase. The 5 phases were from 78 to 115, 115 to 157, 157 to 191, 191 to 239, and 239 to 281 lb. Each treatment had 10 replicate pens and 26 to 27 pigs per pen. Overall (d 0 to 78), pigs phase-fed complete diets had greater (P < 0.01) ADG than pigs fed blended diets and tended to have greater (P < 0.07) ADG than those fed the ground corn-supplement blend. Pigs fed the blended diets had lower (P < 0.001) ADFI than pigs phase-fed complete diets or fed the corn-supplement blend. However, pigs fed blended diets had improved (P < 0.001) F/G compared to pigs phase-fed a ground corn-supplement blend and tended to have improved (P < 0.07) F/G compared to pigs fed standard-phase diets. Pigs fed standard-phase diets had heavier (P < 0.03) HCW than pigs fed the corn-supplement blend and tended to have heavier (P < 0.03) HCW than pigs fed diets on a lysine curve. However, there were no differences (P ≥ 0.11) in percentage yield, percentage lean, fat depth, or loin depth among treatments. There were no differences (P ≥ 0.11) in total revenue or income over feed costs (IOFC) across treatments. However, standard phase-fed pigs held a numerical advantage in total revenue, mainly driven by a heavier HCW over other treatments. Also, pigs fed a ground corn-supplement blend had numerically the lowest IOFC compared to other treatments. In conclusion, feeding using the FeedPro system is competitive with standard phase-fed diets on a net return basis, while feeding a ground corn-supplement blend adversely affected net returns