Minimizing feed cost is always important for improving profits in swine production and can sometimes be accomplished by utilizing by-products from other agricultural industries. Whey, a product of the dairy processing industry, has well-known beneficial properties as a feed additive and is typically fed to newly weaned pigs in dry form. The drying process however, increases the cost. Swine producers in close proximity to dairy processing plants may have access to liquid whey products.
There has been very little research conducted to determine how inclusion of liquid whey would affect nutrient intake in nursery pigs, which became the objective of this experiment. Overall, when liquid whey was fed to nursery pigs (via their water supply), they decreased feed intake to voluntarily control for total energy intake. Throughout the trial pigs remained in good health and no adverse effects were seen from feeding the whey. Th is decrease in dry feed intake means lower total feed costs depending on price and availability of the liquid whey.
Will Hogs Provided with Whey Compensate in Feed and Water Intake (View pdf)
