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Feed Efficiency In Hogs Posting Consistent Gains
US - Hog producers are getting more pounds of pork for every bushel of corn they feed swine, and with surging grain costs, these efficiencies will be put to the test.Animal scientists and agricultural economists attribute the production advances to farm technology, improved feeding systems and quality, along with improved animal genetics.
Ron Plain, agricultural economist at the University of Missouri, said feed efficiency has improved on average about 1% per year over the past 15 years.
"Historically, we have talked about 10 bushels of corn per head" required to produce hogs to slaughter weight, Plain said. This figure includes the feed needed by the sows during gestation. "That (number of bushels) still holds true, but the hogs are bigger, so the net effect is that we're getting more meat produced per pound of corn that is fed to the animals," he said.
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Source: Ag Online
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