Why It Pays to Stop Feed Wastage Now

Mar 15, 2021

By Chris Hostetler

For every pig farmer in 2021, it could pay big dividends to know the answer to this simple question: How much feed never gets eaten by your pigs and ends up as waste?

Whether it’s in a manure pit below a farrowing or gestation barn or under multiple grow-finish barns, feed wastage this year could translate into massive losses, especially with corn prices above $5 per bushel and soybean meal north of $400 per ton.

The answer to the feed wastage question is most certainly that “you don’t know.” However, this is truly a case of what you don’t know may hurt you, especially in a high feed-cost environment. Regardless, it is likely to be far more than we would care to admit.

The current elevated grain prices have dramatically increased the cost of feed and have had a negative impact on every pork producer’s bottom line.

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Video: Inside the National Swine Health Strategy - Dr. Dustin Oedekoven

In this episode of The Swine it Podcast Show, Dr. Dustin Oedekoven, Chief Veterinarian at the National Pork Board, explains the producer-led National Swine Health Strategy and why it is essential for improving U.S. swine health. He discussed industry collaboration, the strategy's initial priorities, why PEDV is the first focus for elimination, research initiatives, and the long-term vision for healthier herds. Listen now on all major platforms.

"The National Swine Health Strategy creates a coordinated approach that moves the entire industry toward common health goals."

Meet the guest: Dr. Dustin Oedekoven / dusty-oedekoven-bb0bb7110 is Chief Veterinarian at the National Pork Board, where he leads initiatives to strengthen U.S. swine health through disease prevention, producer collaboration, and the National Swine Health Strategy. With more than 20 years of experience in veterinary public health and regulatory animal health, his work focuses on protecting the U.S. herd from endemic and foreign animal diseases. Listen to Dr. Dustin Oedekoven on The Swine it Podcast Show, available on all major platforms.