There are three main types of sow feed: powdered material, liquid feed, and pellets. Powdered materials can be further divided into coarse powder (a simple mixture) and commercial fine powder. Liquid feed has become increasingly popular in European countries over the past decade as a way to reduce antibiotic use and improve sow welfare. With the sharp rise in corn prices in recent years, some farmers have started to realize that the cost of ingredients and formulations varies significantly. In certain cases, the demand for compounded feeds has surged, prompting feed mills to adapt to these market changes. However, the use of pellets remains controversial. Pig producers are currently facing challenges related to the nutritional physiology and practical management of sows, which are being analyzed in detail.
**1. Sow feed intake is higher with powdered material than with pellets.**
The reason behind this is that sows have well-developed teeth, a flexible tongue, and a large mouth. The strong sensory stimulation from the smell and taste of powdered feed leads to increased secretion of the first digestive juices compared to pellets. Salivary amylase also acts more quickly on powders than on pellets, which enhances the sows' appetite for powdered feed. In the wild, sows eat a wide variety of foods, including roots, tubers, green plants, grains, and even small animals. Hardened grain seeds are not their preferred choice, so granular food is not naturally favored. Moreover, pigs tend to eat large amounts at once. Consuming a lot of pellets at once can lead to serious issues: unchewed particles may remain in the digestive tract for a long time, and reduced initial digestive juice secretion can slow down gastrointestinal motility. Especially during the perinatal period, decreased appetite and constipation often become unavoidable problems.
**2. Powdered material is more "fresh" than pellets.**
It's well known that powdered feed is not easy to store. In northern regions, it should not be kept for more than 15 days in summer due to its larger surface area exposed to oxygen, making it more prone to oxidation. Pellets, on the other hand, undergo extrusion, which reduces air exposure, allowing them to be stored longer. In terms of on-site performance, powdered feed produced within three days is more beneficial for sows because fewer intermediate steps mean better quality and freshness.
After the pellets are processed through quenching, compression, cooling, grading, and packaging, are they truly the best option for sows? Let’s consider the economic factors:
(1) In summer, can the cooling fan cool the newly produced feed quickly enough?
(2) Can the pelleting process effectively sterilize the feed? From a microbiological perspective, dry heat sterilization is generally more effective than moist heat. But can the pelleting process achieve this? Also, since the finished product is often delivered in an open manner, is there a risk of secondary contamination?
(3) For thermosensitive ingredients like phytase, probiotics, and vitamins, is it wise to increase the safety threshold? Common knowledge suggests that most enzymes have less than a 10% survival rate at high temperatures. So, what does adding extra quantities really mean?
**3. Powdered material is more adaptable than pellets.**
For finishing pigs, finer powders typically offer better digestibility, with 2.0–3.0 mm particle size being most commonly used, provided it doesn’t cause digestive ulcers. However, sows are different, especially during the first three months of pregnancy. While the feed must support lean meat growth, it also needs to help maintain gut function so that the sow’s genetic potential for high litter size can be fully expressed.
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