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Report no. 567


Søren Kranker Nuria Canibe Inge Dorthe Hansen
25.07.2002
Fermented liquid feed for finishers – pelleted feed

Abstract
This trial studied fermented liquid feed for finishers.

The liquid feed was produced from pelleted feed. The trial was carried out in one herd and comprised the following two groups:

Group 1 (control):

Non-fermented liquid feed – pelleted, ready-mixed feed

Group 2 (test):

Fermented liquid feed – pelleted feed to which a mineral feed mix incl. amino acids was added after fermentation of the basic mix

The trial comprised 59 blocks (replicates) and approx. 1,900 pigs per group. The productivity was recorded for the period from transfer to the finisher unit when they weighed approx. 27 kg and until slaughter when they weighed approx. 96 kg.

A loss occurred of synthetic lysine during fermentation of the test feed in the pipelines. There was no significant loss of synthetic lysine in the control feed. There was no loss of synthetic methionine during fermentation in the pipelines in neither the control feed nor the test feed. As the mineral feed mix was added immediately before feeding, no loss could occur of synthetic amino acids in the fermentation tank.

The trial showed that the productivity was significantly reduced by 23% corresponding to DKK152 per place unit annually by fermenting pelleted feed containing all feed components except the mineral feed mix. The productivity was calculated by using the same feed prices in both groups. The reduced productivity was caused by a reduced feed intake (0.21 FUp/day) and thereby a reduced gain (85 g/day) in the pigs given fermented liquid feed compared with the control group. Furthermore, the pigs in the trial group had a considerably lower meat percentage (1.3 percentage units). There was no difference in the feed conversion between the two groups.

There were no differences between the two groups in mortality or the number of days spent on treatment for diarrhoea, but there were indications that the trial pigs suffered from osmotic diarrhoea.

There were no differences between the groups in prevalence of Salmonella or changes in the white part of the stomach. There was no difference in the taste of the meat between the two groups.

On the basis of this trial, it cannot be recommended to ferment pelleted feed even if the mineral feed mix containing synthetic amino acids is added after the fermentation. It can, however, be recommended to ferment the grain in liquid feed for finishers, cf. a previous trial (Report no. 547, The National Committee for Pig Production).
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