Feed efficiency in growing pigs – what’s possible?

Improving the efficiency with which growing pigs utilise feed is a high priority for the pork industry because the cost of feed is by far the major component contributing to the cost of production. There are relatively few accurate estimates of feed conversion ratios in commercial piggeries, but results from experiments conducted over the past 30 years have shown that there has been a substantial improvement in feed efficiency. In particular, recent research conducted by the Department of Agriculture and Food in Western Australia to determine the lysine requirements of grower and finisher pigs has recorded levels of efficiency not previously reported in Australia. In this paper, some of the factors that may have contributed to this improvement are discussed