Feed is the biggest bill in pig production, so the obvious move is to cut its cost. But where you cut matters. Benchmark data show that the cheapest place to save is not necessarily the most expensive feed on the farm. Where the Feed Budget Goes A 2025 Southeast Asian benchmark tracked a pig from 6 kg to 125 kg. The pig consumed about 297 kg of feed, at a total feed cost of roughly 4,417 THB per pig. But the cost is not evenly distributed across production phases: Phase Body

In subtropical and tropical climates, genetics alone cannot guarantee high performance. A cow may have exceptional genetic potential, but whether that potential is expressed depends heavily on her environment, nutrition, and day-to-day management. This is especially important during periods of heat stress, when high-yielding cows are often the most vulnerable. The greater their milk production, the more metabolic heat they generate — making effective heat-stress management es

For shrimp, feed quality is about more than what goes into the formula. It is also about what happens to that formula once it enters the feed mill. Unlike fish that can often locate feed visually, shrimp rely heavily on smell and taste to find their food. A pellet may remain submerged for minutes — or even hours — before it is consumed. During this time, its physical integrity determines how well it retains its nutrients and remains attractive to the shrimp. This makes water

Feed formulation, genetics, housing, and flock health often dominate discussions on layer performance. Yet one of the most fundamental resources in egg production frequently receives less attention than it deserves—water. Water is more than simply a nutrient. It is the delivery system for hydration, supports feed intake, enables physiological functions, and serves as an early indicator of flock health. As the Big Dutchman BigBits guide highlights, successful water management

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has rightly dominated global discussions on antibiotic use in animal agriculture.. However, another important but less visible consequence is emerging—the impact of antibiotics on vaccine efficacy. While antibiotics remain essential tools for controlling bacterial infections, their broader biological effects—particularly on the gut microbiome—can significantly influence how animals respond to vaccination. This interaction introduces a hidden co

Modern laying hens are capable of maintaining high productivity for much longer than in previous decades. While production cycles once commonly ended around 72 weeks of age, today's genetic improvements have enabled flocks to remain productive well beyond 90 weeks. Achieving this extended performance, however, requires much more than genetics alone. Successful layer longevity begins long before the first egg is laid. The rearing phase plays a decisive role in developing the b

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) dominates discussions about antibiotic use in animal agriculture. Policymakers, veterinarians, producers and consumers are primarily concerned with resistant bacteria that threaten human, animal and environmental health. While AMR is undeniably critical, it is not the only problem associated with routine antibiotic use. Beyond resistance lies a hidden cost: antibiotics can compromise the animal's immune system. The Immune System's Delicate Balan

Modern layer genetics offer extraordinary potential. Yet across commercial operations worldwide, a consistent reality remains: actual performance often falls short of genetic capability. Understanding the Performance Gap Where does this performance gap begin? Applied research and field experience from H&N International GmbH indicate that the gap frequently originates during one of the most biologically sensitive phases of the hen’s life — the transition from rearing to laying

The feed industry today faces critical challenges when operating without advanced automation and integrated control systems, including: Manual monitoring of production parameters and output quality, prone to delays and errors Difficulty in optimizing equipment settings without real-time insights Labor-intensive data collection, analysis, and record generation Production inconsistencies, unplanned downtime, and equipment failures Elevated energy consumption and unnecessary ope

Understanding the Drying Process in Aqua Feed Mills Drying is the largest and most energy-consuming process in the aquafeed mill, according to Progressus facilitator Joe Kearns. Pellets typically enter the dryer at approximately 22% moisture. The targeted moisture content for dry aqua feed pellets in Asia is usually between 8-12%. Therefore, the dryer must effectively remove about 10-15% moisture from the pellets. Achieving the industry standard of drying within ±0.5% of the

Optimizing raw materials in shrimp feed formulations is key to improving feed quality and cost-efficiency. One important factor that impacts feed quality and ingredient choices is the sinking ability of the feed. Shrimp require sinking feeds to consume food from the bottom without wasting feed or impacting water quality. Two common feed manufacturing methods to produce sinking feeds are extrusion and pelleting, each with distinct impacts on formulation flexibility and ingredi

Progressus in collaboration with the U.S. Soybean Export Council (USSEC) has successfully organized a customize in-person Agrischools on...

It was a successful turn out at VICTAM Asia 2022 with 100+ registration at our conference. Progressus brought ' Micro-Agrischool on Feed...