Program 2

Improving herd feed efficiency

Prof Frank DunsheaDepartment of Primary Industries

Victoria

Program 2

Improving herd feed efficiency

Reduce Herd FCR from 4.2 to 3.6 (and beyond)

Reduce Cost of Production from $2.05 to $1.50

Profit = (Revenue – COP) x volume

We are proactive as well as reactive

Feed costs Non-feed costs

Feed costs ($/kg)Feed conversion efficiency

Pig production costs…

60%

7%

4%

14%

15%

Feed

Herd

Shed

Labour

Overhead

Pigstats 2003

FCR +Feed Cost

Can we get there?…

Measurement of feed intake

Manipulation of feed intake

- Reduced feed wastage

- Movement to reactive medication

- Increased carcase weight over summer

- Reduced P2 over spring and autumn

- Overcome post-weaning growth check

$0.06

$0.04

$0.05

$0.03

$0.05

Can we get there?…

Improved

production

efficiency and

mortalities

Improved

reproductive

performance

- Reduced medication costs

- Improved growth rate (10%)

- Improved FCR (0.2 units)

- Increased lean content (1%)

- Increased lifetime

productivity

- Reduced seasonal infertility

- Prediction of time of

ovulation

$0.02

$0.07

$0.08

$0.05

$0.07

$0.05

$0.03

Sub Program 2a

Innovative products and strategies for the measurement of feed intake

Dr Bruce MullanDepartment of Agriculture Western

Australia

• Nutritional requirements

• Help to explain variability

• An indicator of health problems

• Other …..

Why measure feed intake ?

Issues

• Individuals vs groups

• Research vs commercial

• Feed disappearance vs feed intake

• Frequency of measurements

• Relationship to other variables

Key components

• Has links to other parts of the CRC

• Obvious relationship with FCE

• Ample technology available

• Has to be practical

• Has to be continuous

Strategy

• A number of proposals submitted

• Many similarities between proposals

• Technical workshop in early 2006

• One major project envisaged

• Associated work to follow

Sub Program 2b

Innovative products and strategies for the manipulation of feed intake (Nutrition and gastro intestinal

function)

Assoc. Prof John PluskeMurdoch University

Possible projects• Strategies to increase

performance after weaning and ensure improved whole-of-life performance,– Risk factors associated with pigs that do not

eat or have reduced intake after weaning– Weaning age x diet ‘complexity’

• Reducing reliance on the use antimicrobials in the pig industry,– Immunostimulants– Probiotics?– Understanding mode(s) of action– Bacterial-epithelium interactions

Possible projects• Optimum levels, ratios and

sources of dietary fibre and fat in diets for pigs, eg, – Role of feeding different levels/types of fat

and dietary fibre on weaner and G/F performance

– Role of fat type(s), fibre types and enzyme supplementation on digestibility and rate of passage

• Protein (amino acid) restriction and subsequent growth, eg, – Compensatory growth– Influence of birth weight– Effects on immune function

Possible projects

• Nutrition and feed processing to manipulate the endocrine control of feed intake before and after weaning – Stimulation of gastrointestinal hormones (gut-

brain axis)– Influence on gastrointestinal and immune function– Specific intervention and effects to low birth-

weight piglets?

Outcomes• Increased understanding of factors

(nutritional, gastrointestinal, behavioural) that influence post-weaning performance, specifically feed intake

• Rational approach to understanding alternatives to antibiotics,– Modes of action– Disease states

• Commercial application of compensatory growth

Likely projects beyond year 1

• Compounds that influence the efficiency of gastrointestinal function and increase feed intake,

– Enzymes– Hydrolysed products– Probiotics– Organic acids

• Optimising the efficacy of feed additives and commercial products (not just product testing)

Sub Program 2c

Alternative therapies, products and/or strategies to improve pig production efficiency and reduce mortality of all

growth phases

Dr Bill HallAustralian Pork Limited

• Eradication of proliferative enteropathy by vaccination and improved hygiene.

• Detection and typing of Brachyspira hyodysenteriae to support swine dysentery eradication.

• Development of a novel APP vaccine.

• Development of a novel Glassers vaccine

Possible projects

Sub Program 2d

Growth performance enhancement and

Reproduction Mr. Rob SmitsQAF Meat Industries

The Jigsaw of the Pork CRC

Improvement of herd feed conversion efficiency

More efficient performance

from sow herd

More efficient performance from progeny

Sub program 2dCommercial Objectives

• Improve the number of pigs weaned per sow mated.

• Identify and develop technologies that makes the mating process simpler and more successful.

• Improve the performance of progeny through management practices and nutrition.

Research ObjectivesImproved reproductive

performance• Sow longevity – management and nutrition to keep lean genotypes breeding longer.

• Investigate sow health to minimise mortality and improve fertility.

• Role of omega fatty acids in breeding gilts and sows to improve performance and longevity.

• Evaluation of protocols to synchronise oestrus and controlling time of ovulation to simplify AI

Research ObjectivesAdvancing knowledge on

reproductive physiology in sows• Studying causes of embryo survival

through early embryonic development, oocyte quality and inflammatory responses.

• Causes of foetal loss and termination of pregnancy.

• Nutritional/metabolic effects on oestrous resumption following weaning.

• Post-graduate training to continue excellence in reproductive physiology

Research ObjectivesSeasonal Infertility

• Remains an unsolved production constraint in Australia

• Research efforts to study seasonal infertility/heat stress will be renewed through the Pork CRC.

• Research will look into the mechanisms involved in seasonal infertility - heat stress, light regimens, other consistent seasonal factors on reproductive physiology in the sow.

• Workshop to direct R&D direction. Producer input will be valuable.

Research ObjectivesImproving growth performance of

progeny• Management strategies for gilt

progeny.

• Omega fatty acid (and other functional lipid) supplementation during lactation and post-weaning to improve health and performance of young pigs.

• Optimise the ractopamine regime to increase lean tissue and decrease fat tissue deposition in finisher pigs, especially males.

Sub-program 2e. Advanced Reproductive and

Genetic Technologies

Assoc. Prof. Mark Nottle Dept. Of Obstetrics and

Gynaecology The University of Adelaide

Projects

• Advanced Reproduction– Commercial development of

advanced reproductive technologies•Synchronisation of ovulation

– One shot AI•Embryo transfer•Embryo freezing•Cloning

Embryo transfer

• Commercial development of embryo transfer – Address lag in genetic gain in

Australia.– Transfer of fresh and frozen

embryos

Embryo freezing

• Commercial development of embryo freezing– Preferred method for shipping

genetics between countries

Embryo freezing –current status

Cameron et al 2003

123/2027-30blastocyst

Nagashima et al 1995

3/1392-4 cell

piglets born/ recipients

embryos transferred/ recipient

stage

Embryo freezing

• R&D– Vitrification

•Method •Closed straw

• Outcome– Commercial method for embryo

freezing•Import/export•conservation

Cloning

• Importation of new genetics– Cells as opposed to embryos

• Conservation of genetics– Cell bank

• Commercially– Use of top males (and females ) at

commercial level

– Also reduction in variation •Fewer sires

Cloning

• Is happening• FDA about to rule on sale of

meat etc from cloned animals and their progeny

Cloning

• R&D– Need to increase efficiency to be

commercial

Cloning

• Outcome– Commercial method for cloning

•Import/export•Conservation •Potential to be ultimate breeding tool

– Use of top sires etc at commercial level

– Reduction in variation– Non surgical transfer of frozen

thawed embryos

Advanced Genetics• Lot happening overseas• Niche projects

– The genetic basis of associations between performance traits, finisher feed intake, voluntary feed intake of sows during lactation and sow lifetime reproductive performance, along with piglet performance post weaning

– Development of a selection marker for placental efficiency

A selection marker for placental efficiency

• Ratio of fetal to placental weight

• Less placenta more room for fetuses– eg Meishan

• Highly heritable– Increase in litter size demonstrated

• Highly variable• Male and female components

A selection marker for placental efficiency

• Difficult to select for – Each piglet and its placenta

weighed

• R&D– Aim is to develop a selection

marker– Biochemical, molecular or genetic – Number of candidates

A selection marker for placental efficiency

• Outcome– A selection marker for placenta

efficiency – Increase in liveborn

•Reduction in–Returns , stillborns, runts– Increase in birthweight?

Profit = (Revenue – COP) x volume

We are proactive as well as reactive

Feed costs Non-feed costs

Feed costs ($/kg)Feed conversion efficiency

Program 2

Improving herd feed efficiency

Request - Please scout for new ideas as we must do something innovative not

more of the same