Precision Feeding on Pig Fattening Farms: Can Simplified Implementation Enhance Productivity and Reduce Pollutant Emissions?

Gema Montalvo (), María Rodríguez, Carlos Piñeiro, Salvador Calvet, María J. Sanz and Paloma Garcia-Rebollar
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Gema Montalvo: Departamento de Producción Agraria, Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingeniería Agronómica, Agroalimentaria y de Biosistemas, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria, 28040 Madrid, Spain
María Rodríguez: Animal Data Analytics, S.L., C/Dámaso Alonso, 14, 40006 Segovia, Spain
Carlos Piñeiro: Animal Data Analytics, S.L., C/Dámaso Alonso, 14, 40006 Segovia, Spain
Salvador Calvet: Departamento de Ciencia Animal, Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingeniería Agronómica y del Medio Natural, Universitat Politècnica de València, Camino de Vera s/n, 46022 Valencia, Spain
María J. Sanz: BC3—Basque Centre for Climate Change—Klima Alddaketa Ikergai, Sede Building 1, 1st Floor, Scientific Campus of the University of que Basque Country, 48940 Leioa, Spain
Paloma Garcia-Rebollar: Departamento de Producción Agraria, Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingeniería Agronómica, Agroalimentaria y de Biosistemas, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria, 28040 Madrid, Spain

Agriculture, 2025, vol. 15, issue 18, 1-25

Abstract: This study evaluated a simplified precision feeding (PF) strategy on pig fattening farms to assess its effects on economic performance and pollutant emissions. PF in pig production can reduce nitrogen (N) intake, excretion, and slurry-related environmental impacts, yet its implementation is difficult due to the need for daily diet adjustments to match pigs’ changing requirements. This work tested a simplified PF approach: two commercial feeds, a nutrient-rich pre-grower and a nutrient-poor finisher, were blended weekly based on the lysine needs of two groups of pigs, defined by initial body weight. During the fattening period, blend feeding (BF) sustained growth and feed intake at levels comparable to those with conventional three-phase feeding, but heavy pigs under BF showed reduced feed efficiency. Nitrogen excretion and slurry ammonia (NH 3 ) emissions did not differ significantly, but BF increased methane and carbon dioxide emissions in the slurry from heavy pigs. The results show that simplified PF can provide economic benefits without compromising performance, but BF formulation should also address potential NH 3 and greenhouse gas emissions during slurry storage. The integration of artificial intelligence-driven tools for real-time diet adjustments at the farm level would be of great interest to enhance sustainability and efficiency, because the economic benefits of PF application were evident.

Keywords: pig; ammonia emissions; greenhouse gas; precision feeding; feeding cost (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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