Reducing phosphorus excretion

A project is underway to demonstrate the environmental and economic implications of reducing phosphorous (P) excretion in pigs.

The University of Newcastle is working with BQP, BOCM Pauls and BPEX on this two-year project which started in August 2010.

The aim is to establish whether dietary P can be reduced below current commercial norms without negative effects on pig health and reproductive performance and, at the same time, reduce diffuse pollution of P to the environment via manure and effluent.

So far five breeding farms have been selected to take part in the experiments; all of them are in a catchment sensitive farming area. Three dietary P levels will be tested for their effect on sows during the dry period and pregnancy.

Treatment A – Industry standard diet
Treatment B – BSAS standard diet
Treatment C – Low P diet where P level is reduced by 22 % in relation to BSAS Standard

A further two finishing farms have been selected for the experiments and will be looking at finishing pigs from 40 – 100kg. Results from these experiments will be reported on in the future.