How to Solve the Problem of Feed Cost in Large Pig Farms

Let's face it: raising pigs is profitable and hard work. Reducing the cost of pig raising while remaining competitive is a challenge in itself, but increasing fluctuating feed costs, new regulations and unpredictable markets will make the task difficult. Feed costs represent the biggest input for producers, often accounting for up to 70% of production costs. It is imperative for pig producers to adapt their feed strategy to maximize feed efficiency. How do large pig farms solve the problem of feed cost?

Pig Farms

Establish a Feed Factory to Produce Feed for Self-use

Otrada is one of the best performing breeders in Russia with world-class results in terms of among others: weaned piglets per litter, daily average gain rate and feed conversion rate. The pig farming company is a totally vertically integrated entity with 100 % traceability from their own fields, feed production, own breeding and slaughter pigs to own slaughterhouse and now also specialized retail stores.

Otrada operates 6,000 sows including 4,600 purebred animals, producing 60,000 breeding animals and 140,000 finishers per annum. The latter are all slaughtered in in-house state-of-the-industry facilities built into each finishing site for biosafety reasons. The meat is partially sold in own branded stores in Russia.

• Weaned piglets per litter 15,9
• Global feed conversion rate 2,58
• Daily average gain rate 669 grams
• 24,000 ha of land – totally self-sufficient with grain
• Feed mill produces 60,000 tons´ pig feed yearly
• Four pig farms, two breeding and two commercial farms
• 2 Breeding farms, each with 2,300 sows, produce 60,000 breeding animals per year
• 140,000 slaughter pigs are produced yearly on the top of breeding animals

Pig feed production line project

To achieve these results in our pig feed pellet production line– having total control over the feed is of immense importance to us. Having our own feed mill gives us the full traceability, lower feed costs and healthier pigs. Feed is both the highest costs item of and the key contributor to rearing performances. In-house feed production is the only way to make sure that its components fully match animal requirements without jeopardizing the health of consumers. Otrada produces all grain needed for feeding their pigs, and their feed mill produces yearly 60,000 tons, which is sufficient to feed all the animals, with equipment bought from feed pellet machine manufacturer, which is at the cutting edge of technology.” Says Mr Kim Christensen, Chief Operating Officer at Otrada.

Improve the Digestibility of Feed

Pig producers look to increase feed digestibility as a means of managing the short-term risks associated with reduced market prices. Increasing feed digestibility helps:

• Make more nutrients available for the pig to absorb.
• Improve performance, allowing producers to send animals to market faster.
• Lower feed costs.

Richi Machinery is a manufacturer of feed pellet machine and feed pellet production line equipment. At present, our feed equipment exports to nearly 100 countries, covering pig feed pellets, cattle feed pellets, chicken feed pellets, sheep feed pellets, and camels. Feed pellet line and so on. If you want to know about our feed pellet equipment, please contact us!