Addressing Feeding Challenges - Josh Flohr, from the 2018 Allen D. Leman Swine Conference, September 15-18, 2018, St. Paul, Minnesota, USA. More presentations at http://www.swinecast.com/2018-leman-swine-conference-material

1. Feeding Challenges in an Integrated
System
September17,2018

2. Feedmill Tons/week manufactured
Okeene, OK 1,700
Holyoke, CO 3,500
Perryton, TX 5,400
Optima, OK 9,000
Hugoton, KS 9,000
Iowa Falls, IA 9,000
Leoti, KS 11,200
Toll mill #1 2,400
Toll mill #2 1,600
Total 52,800
Live Production
• 338,000 sows
• 78 commercial sow farms
• Located in 5 states (OK, KS, CO, TX, IA)
• ~1.20 million nursery spaces
• 153 sites
• ~1,300 rooms
• ~3.15 million finishing and GDU spaces
• 541 sites
• ~3,400 barns
• ~2,500 employees in live production and
support systems

3. Capturing Value
• Exploiting vertical integration
• Controlling cost
• Generate revenue
• As a result we look at
profitability on a fixed asset
basis rather than on a per pig
basis.
• Shackle space basis
• Model information all the way
through packing plant margins.

4. Goals and Objectives of a Production
Nutritionist
1. ALL PIGS HAVE FEED
2. ALL PIGS HAVE THE RIGHT FEED
3. DEFINE WHAT THE RIGHT FEED IS

5. Site and Barn Level Constraints
• Bin Sizes
• Single vs. tandem bin
• Feed line configurations
• Level of specificity related
to accounting
• Pig Flow/Fill times
• Barn/room sizes
Growth through greenfield construction vs acquisition

6. Feed Mill, Transportation, and
Compliance Constraints
• Grinding Capacity and grinding system
• Mixer Size (batch sizes)
• Pellet Mill Throughput
• Finished Feed Bin Capacity
• Truck Compartment Size
• Flushing/Sequencing Procedures
• Biosecurity Guidelines
• Medication Feeding Directions (feeding Periods)
• VFD Validation and Compliance
• Medication Withdrawal Times

7. Feed Mill Constraints
Hugoton
6 ton mixer
2 pellet lines
½ day finish feed
capacity
Iowa Falls
8 ton mixer
3 pellet lines
2 day finish feed
bin capacity
BatchingMixingPelleting
Pellet
Cooling
Finished
Feed
Ingredient
Receiving
Ingredient
Storage
Grinding
System
Flow Chart
Emergency Outage = 2 hours lost, 165
tons lost potential

8. Feed Ordering
• Complex process
• Ensuring Feed budgets are followed properly
• Optimizing Transportation efficiency
• Optimizing Feed Mill production

9. System Controls
• Feed Ordering System
• Designed to monitor Group
level feed budgets and usage
• Identifies over feeding of a
specific diet
• Automatically populated with
valid VFDs
• Establishes a relationship of
farm, medication regimen, feed
type, feed budget, and feed
form.

10. Implementation and Modification of
Feeding Programs
• Simple vs. Complex
• Effective Communication (following the Org chart)
Senior Production
Manager
Regional OPS
Manager
GF Nurs Sow
Regional OPS
Manager
GF Nurs Sow
Regional OPS
Manager
GF Nurs Sow

11. Implementation Example
• Sow Gestation Feeding Program
• 2 feeding levels based on Body Condition
• 3.5 lb base feeding rate per day for sows in ideal or heavy
condition
• 6.0 lb allocation for sows visually assessed as thin
• Body condition assessed bi-weekly throughout gestation.
No Good Deed Goes Unpunished!

12. Summary thoughts
• Leveraging vertical integration redefines the measure
of profitability
• Although the goals of a production nutritionist may
sound simple the complexity within a connected food
system make it challenging.
• Implementation and execution of a program are
tougher than development of said program.
• In large companies simplicity and good communication
are paramount in implementation and execution of
processes and programs.

13. Opportunity for future improvement
• Centralization of information
• Individual silos of data that do not communicate effectively or
promptly
• Reduce process delays due to information transfer
• Reduce demand on clerical staff
• Accelerate reporting capabilities
• Technologies to reduce population variation or
improve population predictions
• Technologies that can offset labor

15. My background
• Flohr, J. R., M. D. Tokach, S. S. Dritz, J. M. DeRouchey, R. D. Goodband, J. L. Nelssen, and J. R. Bergstrom.
2014. An evaluation of the effects of added vitamin D3 in maternal diets on sow and pig performance. J. Anim.
Sci. 92: 594-603.
• Flohr, J. R., M. D. Tokach, S. S. Dritz, J. M. DeRouchey, R. D. Goodband, J. L. Nelssen, S. C. Henry, L. M.
Tokach, M. L. Potter, J. P. Goff, N. J. Koszewski, R. L. Horst, E. L. Hansen, and E. D. Fruge. 2014. Effects of
supplemental vitamin D3 on serum 25-hydroxycholecalciferol and growth of preweaning and nursery pigs.
• Flohr, J. R., J. C. Woodworth, J. R. Bergstrom, M. D. Tokach, S. S. Dritz, R. D. Goodband, J. M. DeRouchey.
2016. Evaluating the impact of maternal vitamin D supplementation: I. Sow performance, serum vitamin
metabolites, and neonatal muscle characteristics.
• Flohr, J. R., J. C. Woodworth, J. R. Bergstrom, M. D. Tokach, S. S. Dritz, R. D. Goodband, J. M. DeRouchey.
2016. Evaluating the impact of maternal vitamin D supplementation on sow performance: II. Subsequent
growth performance and carcass characteristics of growing pigs.
• Flohr, J. R., J. M. DeRouchey, J. C. Woodworth, M. D. Tokach, R. D. Goodband, S. S. Dritz. A survey of
current feeding regimens for vitamins and trace minerals in the US swine industry.

16. Things to Consider When performing nutrient
related diagnostics (tissue, serum, feed samples)
• Sample from both general population and challenge population
• Does the clinical pathology fit the clinical symptoms
• Try to understand the metabolic marker being analyzed
• If results are accompanied by reference ranges, understand the
source of the reference range
• Understand analytical procedures
• Identify the expected analytical error associated with testing
• Communicate with the proper nutritionist

17. Thank you