The animal testing institute developed a cassava crushed brown rice mixed feed that can replace 75% of feed corn.

The animal laboratory mixes cassava flour and broken brown rice to replace part of the feed corn. (Provided by the Animal Laboratory)

Corn, one of the main raw materials for domestic feeds, is almost entirely imported. In order to develop more raw materials that can replace corn, the team of the Animal Research Institute of the Ministry of Agriculture mixed cassava flour and public grain broken brown rice in a ratio of one to two, and successfully developed an alternative formula for weaned pigs that can replace 75% of feed corn. Although the cost is slightly higher, the quality of pig feeding is still stable.

The price of imported corn often fluctuates due to international geopolitical changes and climate change. The Animal Research Institute is looking for feed ingredients that can replace imported corn. The team of the Institute selected cassava, which has high starch thermal energy, and brown rice, which is rich in protein and amino acids. Through in vitro starch digestibility tests, they formulated the optimal 1:2 mixing ratio. In order to overcome the difficulty of digesting cassava starch and the lack of protein, the institute conducted a four-week test on 4-week-old weaned pigs and found that cassava flour mixed with brown rice grains can replace 75% of feed corn, and the pigs’ feed intake, daily weight gain, feed utilization efficiency and health are no different from feed corn.

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The Animal Testing Institute further pointed out that imported feed-grade dried cassava flakes are about 12 yuan per kilogram, and public grain cracked brown rice is about 8.325 yuan per kilogram (calculated based on the average price of U.S. corn in Kaohsiung Port of 9.25 yuan/kg). The cost of the two 1:2 mixed raw materials is about 9.55 yuan per kilogram. After replacing 75% of corn, the cost of compound feed is about 8.325 yuan per kilogram higher than that of the unsubstituted group. 0.225 yuan. According to the Animal Testing Institute, the raw material feed cost of cassava flour and broken brown rice is slightly higher, and it is still dependent on imports and has low supply constraints, but it is still highly feasible as a substitute. It can also cooperate with the government's policy of converting miscellaneous grains into crops and revitalize abandoned farmland. It can also respond to the supply risks of imported bulk grains and build my country's food security defense line.