To slow pigs’ growth, Hostetler recommends feeding a low-energy, high-fiber diet. John Patience, professor of applied swine nutrition at Iowa State University, said this strategy is the easiest to implement.
“The pigs are still able to eat as much feed as they want, but there’s not as much energy there, so they don’t grow as quickly,” Hostetler said.
Patience said fiber should be increased by 15% to 25% to see a difference.
“If we are really serious about reducing growth rate in these pigs, we have to really elevate the fiber substantially,” he said.
But, Patience noted, fiber can be expensive, and some sources are in short supply during the pandemic, such as dried distillers grains with solubles (DDGS). There is also a higher mycotoxin risk with many high-fiber ingredients because they are made from the outside of the seed, which has a greater exposure.
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