Reducing GHG emissions through improved feed efficiency is profitable!

Reducing GHGs by improving feed efficiency pays off !

Feed production accounts for the majority of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in pork production. CDPQ agronomist Sébastien Turcotte shows that several practical adjustments can meaningfully reduce those emissions while improving profitability.

Improving feed conversion ratio (FCR) by just 0.1 saves $5.46 per pig and cuts emissions by 9.9 kg CO₂e. A 100 g/day improvement in average daily gain (ADG) generates $3.54 more margin and reduces emissions by 34 kg CO₂e per pig. Simple actions — proper feeder adjustment, well-timed feed withdrawal before slaughter, and using Improvest in males — all add up.

For producers, these improvements are achievable today, and genetic progress will continue delivering FCR gains of 0.02 to 0.04 points per year automatically.