100% Organic Feed for Pigs – Results of Feed Trials in the UK

Summary

Current regulations for organic pig and poultry production systems permit feed ingredients of non-organic origin, primarily due to concerns that a 100 % organic diet would be unable to meet the demand for the essential amino acids lysine and methionine. 100 % organic diets for monogastrics will become compulsory in the EU from 1st January 2015, and so there is an urgent need to develop economically profitable feeding strategies based on organic feed across Europe. Feeding trials carried out with Gloucester old spot pigs in the UK found that there was no significant difference in the weight gains across the diets until the last week of the trial when there a significant difference in weight increase for the male pigs on the bean diet. This suggests that a 100 % organic diet using peas or beans can provide an acceptable alternative to a soya-based diet.