Capitalizing on Seasonal Appetite Recovery
When summer heat stress fades, pigs regain their natural appetite and feed intake increases significantly. Farm managers can leverage this window to boost growth rates and shorten days-to-market. However, nutritional adjustments and grain storage precautions are required to maximize performance safely.
1. Managing the New-Crop Corn Transition
The "New Corn" Risk: Freshly harvested autumn corn contains resistant starch and higher moisture levels, which can cause digestive upset, poor nutrient absorption, and nutritional diarrhea.
Aging and Blending Protocol: Store newly harvested corn for at least 3–4 weeks before feeding. When introducing new corn, blend it gradually with old-crop corn over a 14-day transition period (e.g., 20%, 50%, 80%, 100%).
2. Adjusting Energy Density & Nutrient Ratios
Boosting Dietary Energy: Increase net energy density by adding 1%–2% dietary fats or oils to capital feeds. This fuels rapid compensatory growth while pigs are eating eagerly.
Amino Acid Balance: Ensure digestible lysine and synthetic amino acid ratios match the elevated energy levels to promote lean muscle deposition rather than excess fat accumulation.
3. Mycotoxin Control in Autumn Storage
High-Moisture Harvesting: Autumn rains during harvest increase the risk of Fusarium toxins, zearalenone (ZEN), and vomitoxin (DON) in feed ingredients.
Broad-Spectrum Toxin Binders: Incorporate high-grade enzymatic or aluminosilicate mycotoxin binders into all gestation and growing-finishing diets to protect liver health and digestive integrity.