Green Pig: can we use more Peas
and Beans in UK Pig Diets?
Lesley Smith1, Jos Houdijk1 and Ilias Kyriazakis1,2
1SAC, 2University
of Thessaly
1
The Green Pig Consortium
Protein use for animal feed in
Europe
3
The UK Pig industry
• The UK pig industry relies heavily on
imported soybean meal, using over
300,000 tonnes a year for grower
and finisher pig diets alone.
• There are increasing concerns about
sustainability of UK pig production
arising from environmental impact of
importing proteins and their price
fluctuations.
• Potential to use home grown pulses
as an alternative.
Green Pig Aims
• The Green Pig project aims to
investigate the potential of using
home grown peas and beans, in
the diets of growing/finishing pigs.
• Emphasis will be placed on the
consequences of pea/bean
inclusion on pig performance and
the potential environmental benefit
of using such diets.
5
Green Pig Approach
Life cycle assessment
of environmental
consequences of
exchanging soyabean
meal with UK grown
pulses in pig diets.
6
Green Pig Approach
Survey to identify the
constraints (real or
perceived) of using UK
grown pulses in pig
diets.
7
Green Pig Approach
Assessment of amino
acid profiles and antinutritional factors
contents of pea and
bean varieties.
8
Green Pig Approach
Small scale dose
response and
metabolism trials to
identify appropriate
exchange levels in pig
diets.
9
Green Pig Approach
Large scale
demonstration trials
under commercial
conditions.
10
Green Pig Approach
Rerun the life cycle
assessment with
project data to evaluate
environmental but also
economic impacts.
11
Green Pig Approach
Outcomes are being
disseminated
throughout the project
when they become
available.
12
Green Pig Survey - Aims
• Quantify the use (inclusion levels) of homegrown protein sources in the feeds of
growing/finishing pigs.
• Quantify the constraints (real or perceived) in
the use of home-grown protein sources.
13
Method
• Target participants
– Compound feed companies that produce grower and
finisher pig feed.
– Home-mixer pig producers.
• Questionnaire
– Use of proteins (soya, rapeseed, sunflower, peas, beans
and lupins).
– Availability of proteins.
– Costs of peas and beans.
– Participant’s view on use of peas and beans in pig feed.
14
Sample Covered
• Compound feed companies
– 52% of total UK grower diet sold per year (based on diet
sold per year).
– 76% of total UK finisher diet sold per year (based on diet
sold per year).
• Home-mixer pig producers
– Approx 14% of home-mixer UK herd (based on sow
number).
Protein Sources Used in the UK
% of sample that use protein source
in diet
100
80
Home mixer
Compounder
60
40
20
0
Soya
Rapeseed Sunflower
Peas
Protein source
Beans
Lupins
Other
16
Protein Sources Used in the UK
% of sample that use protein source
in diet
100
<1% of total diets sold in
the compounder sample
use peas & beans
80
Home mixer
Compounder
60
40
20
0
Soya
Rapeseed Sunflower
Peas
Protein source
Beans
Lupins
Other
17
Protein Sources Used in the UK
% of sample that use protein source
in diet
100
<1% of total diets sold in
the compounder sample
use peas & beans
80
Home mixer
Compounder
60
40
<2% of home mixer
herd use beans in
diet
20
0
Soya
Rapeseed Sunflower
Peas
Protein source
Beans
Lupins
Other
18
Inclusion Levels
Mean max inclusion levels with range (%)
Compounder
Grower
Compounder
Finisher
Home-mixer
grower
Home-mixer
finisher
Soyabean meal
23
(17-26)
17
(15-25)
19
(15-25)
19
(15-25)
Peas (current)
8
(-)
-
-
-
Peas (would
consider as max)
9
(5-20)
13
(5-20)
18
(5-30)
21
(5-30)
Beans (current)
5
(3.8-6)
8
(5-10)
13
(10-15)
13
(10-15)
Beans (would
consider as max)
6
(5-15)
9
(5-20)
15
(5-40)
16
(5-40)
19
Inclusion Levels
Mean max inclusion levels with range (%)
Compounder
Grower
Compounder
Finisher
Home-mixer
grower
Home-mixer
finisher
Soyabean meal
23
(17-26)
17
(15-25)
19
(15-25)
19
(15-25)
Peas (current)
8
(-)
-
-
-
Peas (would
consider as max)
9
(5-20)
13
(5-20)
18
(5-30)
21
(5-30)
Beans (current)
5
(3.8-6)
8
(5-10)
13
(10-15)
13
(10-15)
Beans (would
consider as max)
6
(5-15)
9
(5-20)
15
(5-40)
16
(5-40)
20
Inclusion Levels
Mean max inclusion levels with range (%)
Compounder
Grower
Compounder
Finisher
Home-mixer
grower
Home-mixer
finisher
Soyabean meal
23
(17-26)
17
(15-25)
19
(15-25)
19
(15-25)
Peas (current)
8
(-)
-
-
-
Peas (would
consider as max)
9
(5-20)
13
(5-20)
18
(5-30)
21
(5-30)
Beans (current)
5
(3.8-6)
8
(5-10)
13
(10-15)
13
(10-15)
Beans (would
consider as max)
6
(5-15)
9
(5-20)
15
(5-40)
16
(5-40)
21
Inclusion Levels
Mean max inclusion levels with range (%)
Compounder
Grower
Compounder
Finisher
Home-mixer
grower
Home-mixer
finisher
Soyabean meal
23
(17-26)
17
(15-25)
19
(15-25)
19
(15-25)
Peas (current)
8
(-)
-
-
-
Peas (would
consider as max)
9
(5-20)
13
(5-20)
18
(5-30)
21
(5-30)
Beans (current)
5
(3.8-6)
8
(5-10)
13
(10-15)
13
(10-15)
Beans (would
consider as max)
6
(5-15)
9
(5-20)
15
(5-40)
16
(5-40)
22
Are alternative protein sources
readily available?
Compounder (% of sample)
Home-mixer (% of sample)
yes
no
don’t
know
Yes
No
don’t
know
Rapeseed
100
0
0
91
3
6
Sunflower
74
23
3
57
23
20
Peas
4
96
0
11
70
19
Beans
4
96
0
42
39
19
Lupins
99
0
1
5
43
52
23
Are alternative protein sources
readily available?
Compounder (% of sample)
Home-mixer (% of sample)
yes
no
don’t
know
Yes
No
don’t
know
Rapeseed
100
0
0
91
3
6
Sunflower
74
23
3
57
23
20
Peas
4
96
0
11
70
19
Beans
4
96
0
42
39
19
Lupins
99
0
1
5
43
52
24
Are alternative protein sources
readily available?
Compounder (% of sample)
Home-mixer (% of sample)
yes
no
don’t
know
Yes
No
don’t
know
Rapeseed
100
0
0
91
3
6
Sunflower
74
23
3
57
23
20
Peas
4
96
0
11
70
19
Beans
4
96
0
42
39
19
Lupins
99
0
1
5
43
52
25
Do peas/beans provide adequate
nutritional value?
100
90
80
com punder Peas
com punder B eans
hom e-m ixer Peas
hom e-m ixer Beans
% Sample
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Yes
No
don't know
26
Peas/beans are an economic
alternative to soya
100
Peas - compounder
Beans - compounder
Peas -home mixer
Beans - home mixer
% of Sample
80
60
40
20
0
Strongly
agree
Tend to
agree
Neither
agree or
disagree
Tend to
disagree
Strongly
disagree
27
I would increase the use of
peas/beans in the future
100
% of Sample
80
compounder
home mixer
60
40
20
0
Strongly agree Tend to agree
Neither agree
or disagree
Tend to
disagree
Strongly
disagree
28
Preliminary Conclusions
• Currently few home-mixers and compounders use
peas and beans in their pig diets (<2% of our
sample).
• Current inclusion levels used and the perceived
max inclusion levels for peas and beans are low
compared to that reported in other countries.
29
Preliminary Conclusions
• Cost relative to soya and availability is the biggest
constraint of using peas/beans in grower/finisher
diets.
• There is good confidence in the nutritional value of
peas and beans.
• Respondents would consider using peas and
beans in the future.
30
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