Voluntary feed intake in growing-finishing pigs: A review of the main determining factors and potential approaches for accurate predictions

Abstract

A review of the main determining factors and potential approaches for accurate predictions. Can. J. Anim. Sci. 84: 549-566. The ability of pigs to consume sufficient nutrients for optimal performance is an important consideration in commercial pork production. Nutrient intake levels are directly related to voluntary feed intake. Voluntary feed intake in pigs is influenced by several factors including environmental conditions (e.g. thermal and social conditions), animal status (e.g., age and physiological status), and feed and feeding conditions (e.g. bulkiness of the feed and feed form). Although the individual effects of many of these factors on voluntary feed intake have been investigated and quantified, little has been done to characterize their interactive effects. Under commercial conditions, voluntary feed intake is clearly influenced by multiple factors at any one time. Thus, there is a need for a means to accurately quantify voluntary feed intake in pigs as affected by the different interacting factors. Until quantitative effects of these interactions are established it is suggested that feed intake be monitored. This can be achieved by obtaining feed intake on representative groups of pigs.

Empiric narrowing of the net energy value of reduced-oil corn distillers’ dried grain with solubles for growing-finishing pigs

“…The first result agrees with the paradigm that pigs eat to meet energy requirements (Whittemore et al 2001;Nyachoti et al 2004). The second result confirms that NE contributed by RO-cDDGS did not make up for that from canola oil as it was substituted for barley grain in contrast to our assumption that dietary NE would decrease by increasing the assumed NE value of RO-cDDGS.…”

Net energy system of feed formulation with or without enzyme supplementation in growing-finishing pigs fed barley-based diets with alternative feed ingredients

“…In the present study, it is evident from Table 1 that diets formulated on DE basis had NE content (2348, 2404, and 2430 kcal kg −1 as-fed basis for phases 1, 2, and 3, respectively) below the NRC (2012) requirement for pigs (2475 kcal kg −1 ) compared with Diet B formulated on NE basis. Pigs try to maintain energy intake by eating more when the dietary available energy content is reduced (Nyachoti et al 2004). Similar variation in feed intake was not observed in the present study; probably because such a phenomenon is also influenced by other nutrients such as amino acids (Henry et al 1992;Quiniou et al 1995).…”

Evaluating equations estimating change in swine feed intake during heat and cold stress1

“…As previous studies would suggest (Xin and DeShazer, 1991;Nyachoti et al, 2004;Patience et al, 2005), temperature cycling affected FFI. High temperature tended to affect FFI (P = 0.062) when temperatures cycled diurnally, but responses to thermal stress were linear across temperatures when cycling did not occur.…”

“…In addition to the factors addressed in this study, intake varies with gender, genotype, physical environment, health status, feed form, and many other variables. In response to this high variability, on-farm intake monitoring systems have shown promise in improving production efficiency by allowing more precise estimates of actual feed consumption in the facility (Nyachoti et al, 2004), which provides opportunities to improve productivity and limit environmental impact (Pomar et al, 2009;Andretta et al, 2014). Understanding of climate interactions with feed intake would benefit from a standardized reporting of health status, physical environment, genotype, and feed form in publications.…”