By Jamie Martin
Summer brings more than heat for pig farmers—it brings losses. Each pig may lose 6 to 12 pounds due to heat stress. In total, the U.S. pork industry loses up to $450 million annually during this season.
Pigs eat less in the heat to avoid building more internal body heat. Common feed ingredients like corn DDGS, wheat middlings, and corn germ meal make this worse by further reducing feed intake. The problem hits hardest during July and August, when market prices are highest.
Farmers used high-fat diets to fight heat stress. But fat prices are now too high to make that strategy work. That’s why experts are now looking to soybean meal (SBM).
SBM is more than just protein. It has important compounds like polyphenols, peptides, and plant fibers that help pigs stay healthy and grow better. Unlike byproducts, SBM does not decrease feed intake.
Dr. David Rosero of Iowa State University explains, “Our field trials showed diets with more soybean meal, no DDGS, and no added fat gave the best results for summer pigs.”
These trials proved effective. Pigs gained an average of 5.5 more pounds per animal. Feed costs went down, and revenue increased—by up to $14 per pig, based on past prices.
Rosero also recommends starting the diet in the spring so pigs are fully adjusted before the hot weather begins. This makes the feeding strategy more effective once summer arrives.
This feeding approach is part of research by the United Soybean Board’s Soy Effect program, which studies the full value of soybean meal in livestock diets.
Photo Credit: istock-sandramatic
Categories: National