Precision feeding can significantly reduce feeding cost and nutrient excretion in growing animals

Precision feeding is an agricultural concept that relies on the existence of between-animal variation and involves the use of feeding techniques that allow the right amount of feed with the right composition to be provided at the right time to each pig of the herd. Precision feeding is proposed as an essential approach to improve nutrient utilization and thus reduce feeding cost and nutrient excretion. The potential impact of using precision feeding techniques on feeding cost and nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) excretion was evaluated in this study. The growing pig module of InraPorc® was slightly modified and used to estimate lysine requirements and simulate growth of individual pigs and the overall population. Detailed information of body composition of individual pigs, feed intake and growth performance was used to calibrate the model. Simulated pigs were fed either according to a typical three-phase feeding program or individually with a daily tailored feed as could be provided using precision feeding techniques. Feeding cost was determined according to common commercial pig feeds sold in Quebec, Canada. As expected, simulated N and P retention was not affected (P>0.05) by the feeding method. However, feeding pigs with daily tailored diets reduced (P<0.001) N and P intake by 25% and 29%, respectively and nutrient excretions were reduced both by more than 38%. Feed cost was 10.5% lower for pigs fed daily tailored diets. In fact, population protein and P requirements were established to optimize average daily gain of the population. Estimated nutrient requirements did not include safety margins as normally used in commercial feeds and therefore, the simulated N and P reductions are probably underestimated. Phosphorus excretion should be interpreted with caution because actual models simulating P retention seldom take into account the effect of P intake in P retention and bone mineralisation. Precision feeding can be an efficient approach to significantly reduce feeding cost and the excretion of N and P in animal production systems.