Pioneer Supports National Pork Board Research to Help Maximize Feed Value

The Pork Checkoff introduces Nutritional Efficiency Research Consortium

Pioneer Hi-Bred announces the company’s research and financial contribution to the Pork Checkoff’s newly created Nutritional Efficiency Research and Educational Programming Consortium. The consortium, introduced by the National Pork Board during the World Pork Expo earlier today, will support research work to maximize nutritional value in feed rations for livestock.

“Pioneer has a long history in global livestock nutritional research and increasing the value our products bring to the agricultural sector,” says Dean Oestreich, president of Pioneer. “We are excited about the opportunity to leverage our experience and work with the consortium to further improve nutritional value for the benefit of producers and their livestock.”

In addition to financial support of $25,000, Pioneer will provide an in-kind contribution of $50,000 for collaborative research trials conducted at the Pioneer Livestock Nutrition Center.

“We are pleased that Pioneer is joining the National Pork Board in underwriting this important work,” says Wayne Peugh, National Pork Board president. “Our goals are the same in that we are looking for additional avenues to help producers obtain the most value from feed rations through improved feeding technologies and nutritional information. The consortium brings together organizations throughout the pork industry and agriculture to research and optimize feed rations.”

Pioneer has an international research team that has been conducting livestock performance trials in affiliation with public universities and government research facilities for more than 25 years. Trials have focused on improving the rate of fiber and starch digestibility and preserving protein quality in order to improve the feed efficiency in swine, dairy and beef operations. These studies have allowed Pioneer to help producers obtain maximum feed value through Pioneer® brand seed products. The level of importance Pioneer places on nutritional attributes in livestock feed is demonstrated by its dedicated Livestock Nutrition Center, supportive labs throughout the world and over 20 doctorate-level nutrition researchers and field technical support on staff internationally.

The consortium will focus research and education on improving nutritional efficiency. Among other areas, some of the research for the consortium could involve finding ways to maximize the nutritional value of feedstuffs, such as dried distiller’s grain (DDGs), or options for modifying digestibility of fibrous feedstuffs for livestock. Though utilizing DDGs offers an opportunity to replace a portion of corn in feed rations, there is still much to be learned about optimizing its use.