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Environmental impacts of precision feeding programs applied in pig production

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  04 December 2017

I. Andretta ,
L. Hauschild ,
M. Kipper ,
P. G. S. Pires  and
C. Pomar
I. Andretta
Affiliation:
Faculdade de Agronomia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul 91540-000, Brazil
L. Hauschild
Affiliation:
Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias, Universidade Estadual Paulista, Jaboticabal, São Paulo 14884.900, Brazil
M. Kipper
Affiliation:
Faculdade de Agronomia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul 91540-000, Brazil
P. G. S. Pires
Affiliation:
Faculdade de Agronomia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul 91540-000, Brazil
C. Pomar*
Affiliation:
Dairy and Swine Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Sherbrooke, QC, CanadaJ1M 0C8
*
†E-mail: Candido.pomar@agr.gc.ca
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Abstract

This study was undertaken to evaluate the effect that switching from conventional to precision feeding systems during the growing-finishing phase would have on the potential environmental impact of Brazilian pig production. Standard life-cycle assessment procedures were used, with a cradle-to-farm gate boundary. The inputs and outputs of each interface of the life cycle (production of feed ingredients, processing in the feed industry, transportation and animal rearing) were organized in a model. Grain production was independently characterized in the Central-West and South regions of Brazil, whereas the pigs were raised in the South region. Three feeding programs were applied for growing-finishing pigs: conventional phase feeding by group (CON); precision daily feeding by group (PFG) (whole herd fed the same daily adjusted diet); and precision daily feeding by individual (PFI) (diets adjusted daily to match individual nutrient requirements). Raising pigs (1 t pig BW at farm gate) in South Brazil under the CON feeding program using grain cultivated in the same region led to emissions of 1840 kg of CO2-eq, 13.1 kg of PO4-eq and 32.2 kg of SO2-eq. Simulations using grain from the Central-West region showed a greater climate change impact. Compared with the previous scenario, a 17% increase in climate change impact was found when simulating with soybeans produced in Central-West Brazil, whereas a 28% increase was observed when simulating with corn and soybeans from Central-West Brazil. Compared with the CON feeding program, the PFG and PFI programs reduced the potential environmental impact. Applying the PFG program mitigated the potential climate change impact and eutrophication by up to 4%, and acidification impact by up to 3% compared with the CON program. Making a further adjustment by feeding pigs according to their individual nutrient requirements mitigated the potential climate change impact by up to 6% and the potential eutrophication and acidification impact by up to 5% compared with the CON program. The greatest environmental gains associated with the adoption of precision feeding were observed when the diet combined soybeans from Central-West Brazil with corn produced in Southern Brazil. The results clearly show that precision feeding is an effective approach for improving the environmental sustainability of Brazilian pig production.

Keywords

life-cycle assessmentnutrient requirementsprecision farmingswine
Type
Research Article
Information
animal , Volume 12 , Issue 9 , September 2018 , pp. 1990 - 1998
Copyright
© The Animal Consortium and Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada, represented by the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and the Minister of Health Canada 2017 

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