Energy

Latest article

Lactose in piglet formulas, a necessity

Lactose is a staple component even in the least expensive piglet formulas worldwide. The reason is simple. Piglets thrive on lactose. Yet, the exact role and mode of action of this important ingredient is not widely understood, limiting thus the benefits that could be reaped from proper utilising this nutrient as a feed intake enhancer in post-weaning diets. This article explains why lactose is important and how best to include it in piglet diets.
By Ioannis Mavromichalis, Ariston Nutrition SL, Spain The beneficial effects of lactose on growth performance during the post-weaning period are well documented. The most common sources of... read more »

More articles

Grinding barley-rich pig feed with hammers and rollers

Particle size in pig feed matters. This article describes how the particle size structure of a pig feed mixture with a high barley content can be optimised by means of stage grinding with a hammer mill and a downstream crushing roller mill. read more >

Will there be enough feed in the future?

The increasing world population and the growing market of bio fuels (ethanol and biodiesel) will put a tremendous demand on crop production. Maize and edible oils will be particularly affected. According to Robert Swick these developments will result in a greater supply of lower energy and higher protein ingredients for animal diets. Furthermore, the price of energy in feed formulations is expected to rise substantially in the coming years. read more >

DDGS: growing potential in pig diets

The majority of distillers' grains are fed to beef and dairy cattle, due to the low protein and high fibre content. However, there is an increasing amount fed to poultry and swine these days, as a result of the increasing ethanol production and modernisation. Chad Hastad explains the benefits. read more >

The value of processing cereal grains for piglets

There is a growing interest in the use of processed cereals in animal feeds. Technological treatments reduce microbial contamination, increase nutrient digestibility and improve productive performance. Some processing techniques might reduce feed costs and allow the use of higher amounts of liquids or alternative raw materials. This article evaluates the effects of processing cereals on piglet performance. read more >

High-energy poultry feed with vacuum technology

The simplest way to raise the energy content of a feed is to add fat. But this worsens the handling properties of the product. At the IFF the first results with vacuum technology seem promising. Higher fat inclusions are possible, and the outer and inner qualities of the pellet improve. read more >