Farmscape for September 20, 2006  (Episode 2251)

A swine nutritionist with the University of Guelph credits a dramatic increase in liquid byproducts from biofuel and food processing for an increased interest in liquid feeding in Ontario.

With liquid feeding systems feed is prepared in a central mixing tank then pumped through lines to individual troughs where the pigs can consume it.

The technology is considered new in North America but in countries like the Netherlands, Germany and Denmark up to 50 percent of market pigs are fed using liquid feeding systems and in Ireland that figure is close to 90 percent.

Dr. Kees De Lange says in North America the pockets of liquid feeding are in Ontario and he estimates 20 percent of the finishing pigs in southwestern Ontario are now raised on liquid feeding systems.

Clip-Dr. Kees De Lange-University of Guelph

The main advantage or the main driver of liquid feeding I think in Ontario has been the use of inexpensive liquid coproducts fro the human food and the biofuel industry.

Think of coproducts from milk like whey.

Think about coproducts from the corn syrup industry.

Coca-Cola uses  lots of sugars derived from corn.

There's a tremendous by-stream of liquid coproducts which we can enhance the utilization of by feeding it to pigs.

Other liquid coproducts are byproducts from the alcohol industry.

We've heard about corn distillers grains and solubles and, in particular, those solubles can be utilized more efficiency if you feed them to pigs in liquid feeding systems.

Other drivers have been changes and beneficial effects on the well being of the pig.

In particular in young animals there may be some beneficial effects on gut development as ell.

When the pig is moved from the sow, which is of course a liquid diet of milk, we tend to change them quickly to a completely dry feed and this liquid feeding system may help transition from the sow's liquid food to a dry food as well.

Dr. De Lange notes liquid feeding systems are more expensive but typically we see a pay back within three to five years depending on the availability of coproducts.

For Farmscape.Ca, I'm Bruce Cochrane.

-Dr. De Lange addressed the Western Swine Nutrtion Conference yesterday in Winnipeg

       *Farmscape is a presentation of Sask Pork and Manitoba Pork Council