Most swine nutritionists know that feed cost represents the largest single expense in commercial swine production. According to Nutrient Requirements of Swine (NRC 1812) formulations, feed ingredients can account for 60% to 75% of total live production costs. With this major investment, the question to ask is NOT “What do feed ingredients cost?” The question is, “What value is the feed delivering?”
When evaluating ingredients on cost per unit of digestible nutrient,¹ soybean meal derived from U.S. Soy consistently provides the foundation for predictable performance and operational efficiency that nourishes a business.
Constant financial pressures can create the temptation to focus on reducing diet cost per metric ton. But purchasing ingredients based on price alone can create false savings, especially when calculations don’t account for nutrient digestibility1 and availability.
The true measure of feed value2 is not the ingredient’s price per metric ton, but its cost per unit of digestible nutrient, specifically, the digestible amino acids and energy that drive lean growth and carcass yield in an operation.
The real cost of protein
Grow-finish pigs require precision-balanced amino acids and energy to support efficient lean tissue deposition, feed conversion and carcass uniformity. Ingredients with lower amino acid digestibility3 may appear less expensive but ultimately cost more per kilogram of usable nutrition delivered.
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