Articles - Nutrition

Customs tariffs have major consequences and affect pig farms worldwide.

The use of dietary fiber in sow nutrition is rapidly evolving and is now considered a functional component in nutrition due to its effects on gut functionality, microbiota balance, and the modulation of digestion and metabolism.

Phosphorus is an essential mineral for bone mineralization, energy metabolism, and nucleic acid synthesis. Therefore, strategies to maximize the utilization of phosphorus present in cereals and legumes used in swine nutrition are important, such as the use of phytases. This data sheet describes the structure, types, mechanism of action, and application of phytases.

For pigs to grow and be productive, their nutrition must provide the intake of energy and nutrients necessary for maintenance and production. The most important nutrients are proteins, fats, minerals, and vitamins. Ingested and recycled proteins will be used for tissue growth and repair, enzymatic and hormonal functions, transport of substances, immune responses, water and electrolyte balance, muscle contraction, cell signaling, and pH maintenance.

Although the large influx of news makes it seem otherwise, it really has only been 50 days since the new U.S. President, Donald Trump, was inaugurated.

Of the pillars of commercial pig production, nutritional management, is based on its impact on the total final production cost. In Brazil, it represented 73.16% of the total production cost in 2024 on average, according to data from CIAS (2024, EMBRAPA). In this way, constantly updating the energy and nutrient requirements needed to optimize production outcomes is a focus of attention and a goal of ongoing scientific research.

In today's context of high production costs and increasing pressure from environmental regulations, swine production faces the challenge of balancing production efficiency with the environmental and economic sustainability of the industry. A key factor in this equation is feed particle size, where simple actions available to the producer can achieve significant improvements.

At the risk of being proven wrong by the end of 2025, we will try to break down what we think this year has in store. It's not about using a crystal ball, but rather analyzing the data we already have and weighing its importance. At the end of the year, you can compare and see whether we got it right or missed the mark.

Beta glucans are an excellent bioactive compounds that can help us enhance passive immunity in a profitable and practical way.

This first data sheet on organic acids describes their chemical structure, mechanisms of action, and the main benefits of their use in swine nutrition.

The global swine industry is dynamic and constantly advancing. One of these advancements is the significant increase in sow productivity. This is evidenced by the increase in the number of piglets born and, consequently, in the number of piglets weaned. This progress also poses new challenges, especially regarding the most important superfood on the farm: porcine colostrum. This leads us to ask if improving colostrum quality is possible through specific nutritional strategies.

Beta glucans can boost the vaccinal response, thus helping to achieve an optimal vaccinal response. If they are supplied during enough time to cover the whole vaccination programme this strategy could be an option to improve the vaccine response.

With current data, we will review the quantitative impact of some of the most relevant factors for sows in the lactation phase.

This year's edition of the Swine Conference in honor of Dr. Allen D. Leman was a special 50th Anniversary event and took place September 21-24 at the Saint Paul RiverCentre Convention Center in Minnesota, USA.

A better understanding of the modulatory effects of functional amino acids and polyphenols may support nutritionists in formulating more adapted diets and contribute to the development of nutritional strategies to improve animal performance, well-being, and health.

Data sheet with the nutritional value (table comparison) and most recent studies about corn distiller's dried grains with solubles (DDGS).

The constant search for solutions to challenges in management, health, reproduction, nutrition, and feeding—and their interactions—should be a technical principle if we aim to maximize the genetic potential of our farms.

In this third installment, Antonio Palomo summarizes the papers presented on reproduction, nutrition, precision livestock farming, and other aspects of swine production.

This article demonstrates the effects of drinking water temperature and feeding management in sows to optimize performance in farrowing and lactation.

Data sheet with the nutritional value (table comparison) and most recent studies about sugar beet pulp.

In this series of articles, we discuss the main concepts of safety and preventive measures to ensure the safety and quality of swine feed.

Antonio Palomo summarizes the presentations on nutrition given at the latest edition of the American Association of Swine Veterinarians (AASV).

All livestock sectors are seeking to reduce imports of raw protein materials. Insect meals belong to the category of concentrated protein sources, but their nutritional characteristics are poorly documented and attempts to incorporate them into swine feed have been the subject of few publications.

Data sheet with the nutritional value and the most recent studies on lysine supplementation.