Australian Pork CRC helps cut feed costs

Among the report’s major highlights were the development of two barley
varieties, two triticale varieties and a field pea, Maki, all of which will be
released in 2009.    

Two new
varieties
“The Pork CRC triticale project, with the University of
Sydney, has identified and developed two varieties, one of which is about to be
released, with 8-16% higher yields than current benchmark varieties. This is a
major breakthrough,” Pork CRC Chairman Dr John Keniry said.  

NIRS
The Pork CRC’s development of Near Infrared
Spectrometry (NIRS) calibrations for rapidly determining the Digestible Energy
(DE) and other nutrient contents of grains will revolutionise the accuracy and
cost effectiveness of pig diet formulation. “This will not only benefit the
pork industry by allowing grains to be more accurately valued, but it also
applies to other animal industries,” Dr Keniry said.  

Feed efficiency
Research on feed efficiency will
reduce the cost of production for pork producers and increase income.
 “Pork CRC research discovered that increasing the dietary DE content for
lactating gilts increased the number of sows having a second litter by 30%, a
finding which will significantly increase revenue for the Australian pork
industry,” Dr Keniry said. Research has also demonstrated the benefits of
strategically using the additives Paylean and Porcine Somatotropin in pig feed.

The Pork CRC will continue to trial the benefits of combining fat and
fibre in pig diets, as well as investigating the adequacy of amino acids in the
diets of grower pigs.  

Related
website:
Pork
CRC   

Source: foodmag.com.au