Topigs World Pork Event 2012- pig feed discussions
More than 150 key players in worldwide pork production gathered on 16 November 2012 in Berlin for the second Topigs World Pork Event. The theme of this years meeting was Global developments affecting feed supply with a focus on the availability and price of pig feed in the future.
Speakers from around the world gave their view on the developments in feed production and demand. The overall conclusion was that enough corn, wheat, soy and other feed ingredients can be provided in the future, but producers will have to make extra efforts.
Joe Kerns from Kerns and Associates (USA) foresees enough production and a lower price level of feed in 2013, as long as no extraordinary weather conditions occur. He expects that the acreage of corn used for feed will increase and the demand from the ethanol industry will be lower in future.
Andrey Sizov of Sovecon (Russia) sees another development in his country. Less acreage is being used for feed and the yields are failing to meet demand. However, the possibilities to provide more feed are there.
The Chinese demand for animal feed will increase over the next few years said Nick Rosa (China) from Continental Grain Company. He foresees considerable growth in animal production over the next few years. It is unclear where the feed for this expansion will come from although imports are one logical solution.
Brazil could be one of the solutions for the Chinese demand for feed. Luciano Roppa of Roppa Consulting predicts a development of less corn and more soy in Brazil. Feed production will also increase due to more efficient production methods and an increase in the production acreage.
Efficient feed production and feed use
Speakers at the Topigs World Pork Event concluded that thanks to new technologies and improved efficiency, it will be possible to meet the growing demand for animal feed and the rise in food demand for the world’s growing population. However, providing the quantities needed is a major challenge.
One challenge for the future is using the available feed as efficiently as possible. Topigs CTO Hans Olijslagers showed what can be achieved by breeding more efficient genetics and by focusing on Total Feed Efficiency (TFE) in pork production. TFE is incorporated in Topigs’ breeding goals such as breeding for strong efficient sows, high survival of piglets and finishers, high daily gain and low yield losses. ‘We try to avoid leakages in the system’ said Hans Olijslagers during the meeting. ‘With robust pigs that efficiently convert feed into high quality meet we want to help producers realise future demands.’
To find out more about Total Feed Efficiency, click here.
