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A total of 283 pigs (initially 35.0 ± 0.63 kg BW) were used to compare phase feeding with blending finishing diets by using an automatic bending system. There were 3 experimental treatments: (1) a standard 4-phase complete feed program, (2) blending high- and low-lysine complete diets over the entire experiment, and (3) blending ground corn and a separate complete supplement within each phase. The automatic feed blending is an integrated feed dispensing system that can deliver and blend 2 separate diets while dispensing. The 4 phases were 35 to 54.4, 54.4 to 79.3, 79.3 to 100, and 100 to 126 kg. Each treatment had 12 replicate pens and 8 pigs per pen.
Overall (35 to 126 kg), ADG and ADFI were similar (P > 0.24) across treatments. However, pigs fed the ground corn-supplement blend had poorer (P < 0.01) F/G than pigs fed diets blended in multiple phases and tended to have poorer (P < 0.09) F/G than pigs fed the standard phase diets. There were no differences (P > 0.70) in HCW, percentage yield, and loin depth across treatments. Pigs fed using phase feeding of the ground corn-supplement blend had greater (P < 0.02) percentage lean and lower (P < 0.04) fat depth than pigs fed using phase feeding of complete diets or diet blending. There were no (P > 0.28) statistical differences in total revenue and income over feed costs (IOFC) across treatments. However, the highest IOFC was obtained from diet blending, which had a numeric advantage of 1.48€ to 1.69€/pig over other treatments.
In conclusion, the automatic feed blender system, blended separate complete diets and a ground corn-supplement combination without adversely affecting growth performance and carcass characteristics.
RC Sulabo, GA Papadopoulos, JR Bergstrom, JM DeRouchey, D Ryder, MD Tokach, SS Dritz,RD Goodband, and JL Nelssen, 2010. Swine day, Kansas State University, Report progress 1038: 232-241.
