ANR-637, March 1992. By W. F. Owsley and N. J. Van Dyke, Extension Animal Scientists, Associate Professors, Animal and Dairy Sciences, Auburn University.

Controlling Quality of Farm Mixed Swine Feed

Feed costs can make up 70 percent or more of the operating costs of a farrow-to-finish swine unit. To make the most of feed dollars, feed must supply the nutrients required. Unfortunately, 50 percent of the feed may have nutritional problems that reduce pig performance. Many of the problems found in swine feed result from errors in the mixing process. Good feed mixing techniques will ensure the best quality feed and the most economical use of feed dollars.

Mixing swine feed on the farm is much more complicated than many producers realize. You first determine the ingredients to use and the nutrient requirements for the animals you will feed. Next, you need a formula that shows how much of each ingredient is needed to meet the nutrient requirements. Then you mix the ingredients in a feed mill so that each pound of feed in a batch is the same. As you can see, there are many opportunities for error. Using the wrong formula, feeding contaminated grain, measuring volume rather than weight, using inaccurate scales, and under-mixing the feed are common errors that reduce the quality of farm-mixed feed. A good feed manager will make sure the feed formulation, ingredients, and mixing techniques are correct and will have a quality control system to find potential problems in the feed.

Summary

Any feed mixing system is as good as the effort going in to it. Use the following steps as a guide for evaluating your own system. Even a slight improvement in feed quality could mean savings in feed costs.

1. Follow instructions on feed tags or formulations exactly.

2. Have ingredients analyzed regularly.

3. Have formulations adjusted by a competent nutritionist as the nutrient content of ingredients or the ingredients themselves change.

4. Compare ingredient costs and feeding value before buying a "cheap" ingredient.

5. Routinely calibrate the proportioner (metering mill).

6. Keep all feed handling equipment (mixers, augers, bins, feeders) in good repair.

7. Weigh all ingredients before mixing (batch system).

8. Avoid under-mixing and over-mixing.

9. Sample and analyze feeds regularly.

Doing the best job possible when milling feed will eliminate many of the nutritional problems found in Alabama swine diets.

For more information, call your county Extension office. Look in your telephone directory under your county's name to find the number.