Date: 03/03/2025

According to the Brazilian Animal Protein Association (ABPA), national pork production reached a record in 2023, totaling 5.16 million tons, which represents 4% of world production, reflecting the importance of nutritional strategies that ensure productive efficiency and balance in the formulation of diets.

Among the alternatives adopted by the sector, the inclusion of hydrolyzed proteins and the use of by-products have stood out, promoting improvements in feed conversion and animal health.

In this article, we discuss the role of palatability in pig feed, the benefits of hydrolyzed protein and the impacts of sustainable formulation, demonstrating how these strategies contribute to more efficient and competitive production.

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The concept of palatability in pig nutrition

When we talk about animal nutrition, palatability refers to the acceptance of feed by animals, and is a determining factor for voluntary consumption and, consequently, for growth and feed conversion.

According to studies, pigs have approximately 19,000 taste buds, surpassing the sensory capacity of humans, who have around 9,000, and second only to cattle, with approximately 25,000 (Frederick e Van Heugten, 2003).

This taste sensitivity influences diet acceptance, making the choice of ingredients a strategic point in feed formulation. In this case, ingredients with adequate nutritional profiles but low sensory acceptability can result in lower voluntary intake, compromising production performance.

In addition to taste, sensory characteristics of the feed also play a fundamental role in the attractiveness of the feed to pigs. Aroma influences the initial perception of the feed, arousing interest and stimulating voluntary consumption. Texture affects chewing and acceptance of the feed, making it more palatable and adapted to the animals' preferences.

Therefore, the formulation of diets for swine nutrition must consider, in addition to nutritional balance, the interaction between the composition of the ingredients and the sensory response of the animals, since optimizing palatability favors voluntary consumption and impacts the bioavailability of nutrients and feed conversion, directly influencing zootechnical indices and productive efficiency.

How protein hydrolysate works in pig diets

As we have seen, nutritional formulation in pig farming requires highly digestible ingredients, guaranteeing the use of nutrients and improving feed conversion.

Among the functional components used for this purpose, Chicken Hydrolyzed Protein stands out as an efficient option for optimizing animal nutrition at different stages of life.

At BRF Ingredients, BioActio Health & Performance is obtained through an enzymatic hydrolysis process, in which the proteins of meat, offal or chicken giblets are fragmented into smaller peptides, which increases the solubility and absorption of essential amino acids, providing a protein source of rapid assimilation and high biological value.

The inclusion of BioActio Health & Performance in pigs' diets results in direct nutritional benefits:

Greater digestibility and nutritional utilization

Enzymatic hydrolysis reduces the size of protein chains, making amino acids readily available for intestinal absorption.

Improved feed efficiency

Studies indicate that diets supplemented with Chicken Hydrolyzed Protein favor weight gain and reduce feed conversion, ensuring better production performance.

Presence of bioactive peptides

These compounds have antimicrobial and antioxidant properties, helping to maintain intestinal integrity and balance the microbiota.

Increased palatability

In addition to improving the nutritional quality of the feed, protein hydrolysate intensifies the taste of the food, encouraging voluntary consumption and reducing waste.

BioActio in pig diets: what do the studies say?

The inclusion of hydrolyzed proteins in feed formulation has been studied as an alternative to optimize digestibility and feed efficiency in pigs.

In our portfolio we have BioActio Health & Performance, the highly digestible Chicken Hydrolyzed Protein, containing a high index of bioactive peptides that perform specific metabolic functions in the animals' bodies.

Evaluations carried out in partnership with the University of São Paulo (USP) showed that the inclusion of BioActio at different levels in the diet of weaned piglets had a positive impact on daily weight gain and feed conversion.

In the experiment with 1,600 piglets, distributed in four treatments (0%, 1.25%, 2.50% and 3.75% inclusion of BioActio in the feed composition), it was observed that the animals fed with the highest inclusion showed a 9% increase in daily weight gain, maintaining an average daily feed consumption of between 588g and 609g.

Another study evaluated the piglets' preference for food, comparing diets with and without the inclusion of BioActio Health & Performance. In this case, the results showed that the feed containing 20% hydrolyzed protein was 87% more acceptable than the control diet. This effect is associated with BioActio Health & Performance's amino acid and bioactive peptide profile, which influences palatability and stimulates voluntary consumption.

In addition to these impacts on growth and food acceptance, the presence of bioactive peptides in the composition of BioActio Health & Performance contributes to intestinal health, antimicrobial, antioxidant, antihypertensive and immunostimulant properties.

Different impacts of using hydrolyzed protein in pig formulations

At the same time as formulations are designed to meet the nutritional requirements of pigs, modern production is seeking a more efficient and sustainable model, a concept that also guides the development of BioActio.

The inclusion of ingredients processed from agro-industrial by-products in animal nutrition is an innovative strategy that reduces waste, optimizes the use of differentiated ingredients, such as BioActio Health & Performance, and strengthens the production chain, promoting a sustainable circular economy.

Another relevant aspect is the improved predictability of the feed response, as Chicken Hydrolyzed Protein offers a more stable protein profile when compared to food sources, so this consistency allows for greater control in formulation and more efficient nutritional planning throughout production cycles.

Thus, in addition to optimizing feed conversion and improving diet acceptance, hydrolysed protein plays a strategic role in feed formulation, favouring a more efficient and stable production environment.

Final considerations

Pig nutrition is directly linked to the search for diets that combine production efficiency and better use of ingredients.

The use of hydrolyzed proteins in feed formulation has also shown positive impacts on digestibility, food acceptance and nutritional conversion, favoring animal performance without compromising diet stability.

In addition to the zootechnical benefits, incorporating ingredients from agro-industrial by-products into pig feed reinforces a more sustainable production approach, reducing waste and optimizing the use of raw materials.

In this way, with a well-planned formulation, it is possible to balance nutritional value, cost and environmental impact, guaranteeing a more efficient production system in line with the requirements of each species.

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