During the past 3 to 4 years the general public have been made aware of data, previously held privately, that allow us to have a much better understanding, or cause us to explore through research, the additional benefits of using soybean meal in swine diets. Improved understanding of actual nutrient content and the impact of soy functional bioactive compounds forces the formulator/nutritionist to take into account aspects outside of the normal considerations of ingredient price and minimum/maximum use of the particular ingredient. Information indicating soybean meal net energy content may be much greater than previously understood, along with the positive health and growth enhancing influence of soy functional bioactive compounds causes the need to take the dietary program decision process to a new level by assuring that pig performance differences are included in ingredient and final diet choice. In some cases, it may be beneficial to establish minimum soybean use levels in the formula, which may drive the formula cost higher. These differences in performance may become evident in improved mortality, average daily gain, and feed conversion, all of which will have an economic impact on the cost of production of a given pig or group of pigs. This information must be joined with ingredient and live hog prices at a given time, or forecast into the future, to model the performance differences and settle on a cost of production rather than an invoice price of a given ton of feed. If the added step of financial modeling of pig performance, market price, mortality etc. is included, the optimum cost of producing the pig may be through use of the diet with greater cost. An easy example to consider is the possible elimination or reduction of the summer weight dip. The summer months are many times the most profitable months considering live hog price. However, in some production systems, maintaining target weight through the heat of the summer is difficult so there is lost opportunity to sell weight at a time that live hog prices may be higher.
Use of a diet with minimum soybean meal constraints and maximum crystalline amino acid and distillers dried grains and solubles constraints will likely be more expensive than a more traditional formula with less control points. However, through financial modeling, in which the cost of producing the pigs is described, the more expensive option may in fact be the dietary program of choice for the greatest profit to the producer.
