Understanding Feed conversion ratio (FCR) in pig rearing
By Tonny Wandella
Since feed is going to be your biggest expense, we’ll start there. How much feed is it going to take to get those feeder pigs up to weight at 6 months? A pig will eat around 800 pounds of feed from weaning until 6 months old.
Feed conversation ratio (FCR) is defined as the feed requirement per unit of body weight gain, is commonly used as an indicator for the economic evalua- tion of pig breeding and fattening enterprises.
Feed conversion ratio (FCR) is the ratio of inputs to outputs it is the inverse of “feed efficiency” which is the ratio of outputs to inputs. FCR is widely used in pig and poultry production.
Efficiency ratios may vary by country, but in general, a pig’s ratio should be in the 3:1 range. A low FCR means your pigs are efficiently converting feed into body weight. A high FCR indicates your feed program may need to be reevaluated. Consequently, the FCR affects the price for pork products.
FCR is calculated by dividing the kg of feed eaten daily, by the kg of live weight gained daily. For example, if a pig ate 1kg of feed a day and put on 0.5kg in weight his FCR = 2.
So, to improve growth we can either increase feed intake, which is expensive, or we can reduce the energy that pigs are wasting elsewhere hence improving FCR.
True FCR can only be changed by altering pig management and nutrition, but most people calculate FCR based on feed delivered to a farm, not feed actually eaten. This means some people have a higher FCR just through feed wastage. Ensure all feed delivered to your farm actually reaches the pigs by keeping feed bins, augurs, pipes and feeders in good condition to avoid any wastages. A little waste each day can add up to an awful lot!
Understanding Feed conversion ratio (FCR) in pig rearing
Since feed is going to be your biggest expense, we’ll start there. How much feed is it going to take to get those feeder pigs up to weight at 6 months? A pig will eat around 800 pounds of feed from weaning until 6 months old.
Feed conversation ratio (FCR) is defined as the feed requirement per unit of body weight gain, is commonly used as an indicator for the economic evalua- tion of pig breeding and fattening enterprises.
Feed conversion ratio (FCR) is the ratio of inputs to outputs it is the inverse of “feed efficiency” which is the ratio of outputs to inputs. FCR is widely used in pig and poultry production.
Efficiency ratios may vary by country, but in general, a pig’s ratio should be in the 3:1 range. A low FCR means your pigs are efficiently converting feed into body weight. A high FCR indicates your feed program may need to be reevaluated. Consequently, the FCR affects the price for pork products.
FCR is calculated by dividing the kg of feed eaten daily, by the kg of live weight gained daily. For example, if a pig ate 1kg of feed a day and put on 0.5kg in weight his FCR = 2.
So, to improve growth we can either increase feed intake, which is expensive, or we can reduce the energy that pigs are wasting elsewhere hence improving FCR.
True FCR can only be changed by altering pig management and nutrition, but most people calculate FCR based on feed delivered to a farm, not feed actually eaten. This means some people have a higher FCR just through feed wastage. Ensure all feed delivered to your farm actually reaches the pigs by keeping feed bins, augurs, pipes and feeders in good condition to avoid any wastages. A little waste each day can add up to an awful lot!
Please drop by Hog Aorta for all of your pig farming needs. We’re rapidly becoming Kenya’s premier hog farming site:)
Source: https://blog.livestockfarming.co.uk and https://osbornelivestockequipment.com
Source: https://blog.livestockfarming.co.uk and https://osbornelivestockequipment.com