Alternative feedstuffs for swine in Colombia : what are our options?

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Both the increasing demand of grains for food and the recent ethanol crisis have an economic impact on swine producers in many countries, including Colombia. The continuous increase in grain and corn prices push swine nutritionists everywhere to search for alternative energy feedstuffs in order to provide adequate feed to pigs. Colombia, where a variety of crops are grown, lacks effective alternative feedstuffs to replace corn, which is widely used as the main energy ingredient in common animal diets. The major limitations presented by those crops or products and their derived materials are usually their high water or high fiber contents, or both, particularly in the way they are made available from agricultural production and the food industry.

RESUMEN: Tanto la creciente demanda de granos para la alimentación humana, como la reciente crisis generada por la producción de etanol a partir de maíz en el principal productor mundial del grano, están acorralando a los porcicultores en muchos países, incluido Colombia. Los altos precios del maíz obligan a los formuladores de alimento a buscar fuentes energéticas alternativas para alimentar los cerdos. A pesar de que en Colombia se produce una gran variedad de cosechas durante todo el año, no hay muchas alternativas para reemplazar efectivamente al maíz. Las limitaciones presentadas por los potenciales ingredientes alternativos y sus derivados son, principalmente, sus altos contenidos de agua y/o fibra.