Calculation tools
Calculators based on the dosages and data published in the technical data sheets and presentations, each with its source. Indicative values: the ration should be checked with Alpha’s technical service.
For farmersMore for farmers 8
Economic analysis
How much you save with biscuit meal
Biscuit meal goes into the ration in place of part of the maize, soya bean meal and fats. Enter how much biscuit meal you use: the calculation compares the cost of the components it replaces with the price of biscuit meal and shows the saving per month and per year. All prices and quantities can be edited.
Open the tool full page: How much you save with biscuit meal
How much you save with biscuit meal
Monthly and yearly saving when biscuit meal replaces maize, soya and fats.On the farm: how much you save per month and per year with your cows or pigs, with biscuit meal in place of maize, soya and fats.In the formula: saving per tonne with biscuit meal in place of maize, soya and fats, at your prices.Cattle · PigsCalculation tool
How much distillers’ grains your herd needs
Enter how many animals you have in each category: the requirement for liquid wheat distillers’ grains updates as you type, per day, per week and per month, together with the dry matter it supplies.
Estimated distillers’ grains requirement
- Per day
- kg
- Dry matter supplied (about 40%)
- kg/day
- Per week
- kg
- Per month (30 days)
- t
For 100 head you need about 300 kg of distillers’ grains a day (about 120 kg of dry matter), 9 tonnes a month.
Reference doses
Recommended doses of wheat distillers’ grains Category Recommended dose Dairy cows about 3 kg per head per day Heifers about 4 kg per head per day Beef bulls about 3 kg per head per day Finishing pigs for finishing pigs outside the Parma ham PDO circuit For pigs: only for pigs outside the Parma ham PDO circuit.
Distillers’ grains have about 40% dry matter and a pH of about 3.4: they acidify the ration and keep for longer. To convert other quantities, use the as-fed and dry matter converter.
Open the tool full page: How much distillers’ grains your herd needs
How much distillers’ grains your herd needs
Kilograms per day and per month, with dry matter, for cows, heifers and bulls.Kilograms of distillers’ grains per day for your herd: cows, heifers and bulls, with dry matter.Tonnes of distillers’ grains per month to plan for a farm, as fed and as dry matter.CattleCalculation tool
How much biscuit meal in the ration
Calculate the daily requirement for bakery by-products (biscuit meal): for dairy cows from the number of animals, for sows and piglets from the daily ration.
Estimated biscuit meal requirement
- Total per day
- kg
- Dairy cows
- kg/day
- Sows and piglets
- kg/day
- Per month (30 days)
- t
You need 200 to 300 kg of bakery by-products a day.
Reference doses
Recommended doses of bakery by-products Category Recommended dose Dairy cows 2–3 kg per head per day Sows and piglets 15–20% of the ration Note: for pregnant and lactating sows the technical article “Biscotti nella razione di scrofe e suinetti” (Bakery by-products in sow and piglet rations; Suinicoltura 9-2007, Table 4) gives 10–15%; the calculation uses the 15–20% recommended on the bakery by-products page.
In summer, when dry matter intake falls, bakery by-products let you concentrate the energy level of the feed and make it more palatable. To estimate how far intake can fall, use the summer intake drop calculator.
Open the tool full page: How much biscuit meal in the ration
How much biscuit meal in the ration
Bakery by-products per day and per month for dairy cows, sows and piglets.Biscuit meal per day per head and for the farm: dairy cows, sows and piglets.Monthly biscuit meal requirement of a farm, to plan supplies.Cattle · PigsCalculation tool
THI and summer plan for dairy cows
The THI (temperature-humidity index) combines temperature and relative humidity. Enter the values in your barn to see the heat stress band, the daily doses for the herd and the kilograms to prepare for the summer.
THI
Mild to moderate stress
Daily doses for the herd
- Alpha Unifeed Control
- kg/day
- Summer Stress Bovini
- kg/day
Summer plan: hot days
- Alpha Unifeed Control in total
- kg
- Summer Stress Bovini in total
- kg
THI 79.8: mild to moderate stress. For 100 cows: Alpha Unifeed Control 2–10 kg a day, Summer Stress Bovini 20 kg a day. For 30 days of heat: 60–300 kg of Alpha Unifeed Control and 600 kg of Summer Stress Bovini.
Heat stress bands
- No stress below 68
- Threshold of stress 68 to 71.9
- Mild to moderate stress 72 to 79.9
- Moderate to severe stress 80 to 89.9
- Severe stress 90 and above
Working bands: 68 from Zimbelman et al. 2009; 72, 80 and 90 from the Collier/Zimbelman table (University of Arizona). These are not Alpha data: to be validated with Alpha’s technical service. NRC formula (1971): THI = (1.8 × T + 32) − (0.55 − 0.0055 × RH) × (1.8 × T − 26), with T in °C and RH in %.
Checklist: how to manage heat stress
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Recommended doses
Doses of Alpha products for heat stress Product Dose Alpha Unifeed Control 20–100 g per head per day (targeted action on the mixed ration) Summer Stress Bovini 200 g per head per day (direct action on the animals) In hot weather intake can fall by up to 20%: estimate how much with the summer intake drop calculator.
THI and summer plan for dairy cows
Heat stress from temperature and humidity, doses for the herd and a summer checklist.From your barn’s temperature and humidity to the THI, with doses for the herd and a summer checklist.The THI to read heat stress on the farms you follow, with the doses of the summer products.CattleCalculation tool
Mamy Nova 1% in the farrowing room
Mamy Nova 1% is a supplement for lactating sows, used at 1% of the lactation feed. Enter sows, ration and length of lactation: the calculation gives the kilograms of Mamy Nova per cycle and, if you wish, an estimate of litter weight at weaning with the +4–8% stated on the data sheet.
Mamy Nova required
- Per cycle, all sows
- kg
- Lactation feed per cycle
- t
- Per sow per cycle
- kg
- Per tonne of feed
- kg
Litter weight at weaning: +4–8%
- Extra per litter
- kg
- Estimated litter weight (+4–8% from the data sheet)
- kg
- Extra across all litters in the cycle
- kg
Enter the average litter weight to estimate the increase.
Enter the daily ration and the length of lactation: Mamy Nova is 1% of the lactation feed, 10 kg per tonne.
Reference dose and results
1%
Of the lactation feed
Added to normal farrowing diets: 10 kg per tonne
Source: technical data sheet “Mamy Nova 1%”
+4–8%
Weaning weight
Field trials and studies at experimental stations, with an increase in the number of piglets weaned as well
Source: technical data sheet “Mamy Nova 1%”
Higher feed intake, a well-developed mammary system and reduced oxidative stress lead to higher milk production in the sow.
Mamy Nova 1% technical data sheet (Italian) (PDF, opens in a new tab)
Mamy Nova 1% in the farrowing room
Kilograms of Mamy Nova per cycle at 1% of lactation feed and estimated litter weight.Kilograms of Mamy Nova per cycle in the farrowing house and estimated litter weight.Mamy Nova at 1% of lactation feed: kilograms per cycle and estimated litter weight.PigsCalculation tool
Summer drop in feed intake
With heat stress, intake can fall by up to 20%. Enter the usual dry matter intake and the number of cows: the calculation shows how much dry matter the herd is missing each day and over a week.
Missing dry matter
- For the herd, each day
- kg
- In a week
- kg
- Per head per day
- kg
- Remaining intake per head
- kg/day
Enter the normal dry matter intake per head: in hot weather it can fall by up to 20%.
Consequences of heat stress
- Drop in intake (up to 20%)
- Poorer production and reproductive performance
- Lower colostrum quality
- Lighter calves at birth
Calculation: loss per head = normal intake × drop %; for the herd × number of cows; for the week × 7.
Summer drop in feed intake
Dry matter the herd loses in hot weather, per day and over a week.Dry matter your herd loses in hot weather, per day and over a week.The summer intake drop to allow for in hot-weather rations, per day and over a week.CattleCalculation tool
As-fed and dry matter converter
Doses and analyses are expressed on an as-fed or a dry matter basis. Choose the raw material, or enter the dry matter percentage, and convert in either direction.
Conversion result
- Dry matter
- kg
- Water
- kg
- As fed per 1 kg of dry matter
- kg
1,000 kg of distillers’ grains as fed contain about 400 kg of dry matter and 600 kg of water.
Dry matter of Alpha raw materials
Dry matter of the raw materials Raw material Dry matter Source Liquid wheat Distillers’ grains (WWDG) about 40% distillers’ grains page, alphasrl.com EP100 880 g/kg (88%) manufacturer’s technical data sheet, EP100, version 18-02-2021 EP199 890 g/kg (89%) manufacturer’s technical data sheet, EP199, version 01-03-2020 EP200 895 g/kg (89.5%) manufacturer’s technical data sheet, EP200, version 18-02-2021 For fermented products the values are averages from analyses: some variation in chemical composition is possible. Formula: dry matter = as fed × % DM / 100; as fed = dry matter × 100 / % DM.
As-fed and dry matter converter
From as fed to dry matter and back, with values for WWDG, EP100, EP199 and EP200.From as fed to dry matter for the mixer-wagon ration, with values for distillers’ grains and EP.From as fed to dry matter for the formula, with values for distillers’ grains, EP100, EP199 and EP200.Cattle · PigsGuided selector
Find the Alpha solution
Three questions to reach the pages, products and tools on the site that meet your need. Each result shows the sentence from the site that supports it, translated from Italian.
- 1Who you are
- 2Stage or activity
- 3Need
Your solution
Discuss it with the technical service
Alpha delivers effective solutions to livestock farming problems very quickly. Phone +39 0371 56213.
Find the Alpha solution
Three questions to reach the pages, products and tools that meet your need.Three questions on species, phase and problem to reach the solution for your farm.Three questions to reach the products, pages and data useful for your formulation.Cattle · Pigs
For the feed industry and dataMore for the feed industry and data 6
Technical tool · Feed industry
EP100, EP199 and EP200 compared
Choose a parameter: the chart compares the three EP fermented feeds and the table highlights the highest value in each row. Tap a parameter name in the table to show it in the chart.
Parameter compared
- Highest value: EP200
- g/kg
Crude proteing/kg of product as fed Crude protein: EP200 495 g/kg, EP100 340 g/kg, EP199 338 g/kg. The highest value is EP200.
Composition compared values per kg of product as fed; the highest value in each row is in bold; tap a parameter name to show it in the chart
Nutrients and energy
Nutrients and energy of EP100, EP199 and EP200 Parameter EP100 EP199 EP200 Dry matter g/kg 880 890 895 (highest) Crude protein g/kg 340 338 495 (highest) Crude fat g/kg 37 (highest) 37 (highest) 23 Crude fibre g/kg 101 110 (highest) 34 Crude ash g/kg 82 87 (highest) 65 Starch g/kg 9 24 30 (highest) Sugars g/kg 55 (highest) 42 30 ME pigs MJ/kg 10.1 10.6 14.7 (highest) ME broilers MJ/kg 6.9 6.8 10.0 (highest) ME layers MJ/kg 7.8 7.7 10.4 (highest) Minerals, lactic acid and lactic acid bacteria
Minerals, lactic acid and lactic acid bacteria of EP100, EP199 and EP200 Parameter EP100 EP199 EP200 Calcium g/kg 6.7 7.1 (highest) 3.8 Phosphorus g/kg 9.7 (highest) 9.6 6.7 Digestible phosphorus g/kg 6.3 (highest) 6.3 (highest) 4.6 Sodium g/kg 0.6 1.3 (highest) 0.02 Potassium g/kg 13.8 12.2 22.6 (highest) Chlorine g/kg 0.6 0.7 (highest) 0.4 Lactic acid g/kg 60 50 74 (highest) Lactic acid bacteria Enterococcus faecium NCIMB 10415 > 10⁶ CFU/g > 10⁶ CFU/g > 10⁹ CFU/kg (= 10⁶ CFU/g) Amino acids total and SID digestible for pigs and poultry, g/kg
Amino acids of EP100, EP199 and EP200, total and digestible (SID) Amino acid EP100Total EP199Total EP200Total EP100SID pigs EP199SID pigs EP200SID pigs EP100SID poultry EP199SID poultry EP200SID poultry Lysine 19.0 18.2 29.0 (highest) 15.6 14.9 26.1 (highest) 16.4 15.7 26.4 (highest) Methionine 6.6 6.5 6.9 (highest) 5.7 5.6 6.2 (highest) 6.2 6.1 6.3 (highest) Methionine + cystine 14.7 (highest) 14.3 13.5 12.1 (highest) 11.7 11.9 13.0 (highest) 12.7 12.6 Threonine 14.9 14.6 20.4 (highest) 11.9 11.7 18.2 (highest) 12.3 12.0 19.2 (highest) Tryptophan 4.8 4.6 6.7 (highest) 3.8 3.8 6.1 (highest) 4.3 4.2 6.4 (highest) Isoleucine 12.7 12.3 22.9 (highest) 10.5 10.2 20.8 (highest) 11.0 10.6 21.5 (highest) Arginine 19.6 19.2 34.1 (highest) 17.4 17.1 32.4 (highest) 17.7 17.3 33.0 (highest) Histidine 8.8 8.7 13.4 (highest) 7.6 7.5 12.0 (highest) 7.8 7.7 12.7 (highest) Leucine 23.5 22.9 39.2 (highest) 19.7 19.2 35.7 (highest) 20.5 20.0 37.2 (highest) Valine n/a (not reported) 16.1 23.9 (highest) n/a (not reported) 12.9 21.5 (highest) n/a (not reported) 13.8 21.9 (highest) Phenylalanine n/a (not reported) 13.1 26.6 (highest) n/a (not reported) 11.0 24.4 (highest) n/a (not reported) 11.4 25.2 (highest) Tyrosine 9.8 9.8 18.0 (highest) 8.1 8.1 16.4 (highest) 8.6 8.6 16.9 (highest) n/a: EP100 valine and phenylalanine are not reported and are not compared.
EP200: anti-nutritional factors
Anti-nutritional factors of EP200 Factor EP200 TIA (trypsin inhibitors) < 0.5 mg/g β-conglycinin < 0.5 mg/g Lectins < 0.05 mg/g Raffinose and stachyose < 0.5% The manufacturer’s technical data sheets do not give dosages. “Figures based on analyses, representing an average”: as these are fermented feeds made from natural raw materials, composition may vary. EP200 is intended for pigs and poultry. Target species: those stated in the manufacturer’s technical data sheets. The technical data here are those of the data sheets. Find out more on Nutraceuticals.
EP100, EP199 and EP200 compared
Nutrients, total and SID amino acids, energy, minerals and lactic acid side by side.EP100, EP199 and EP200 side by side, to see what they add to the ration.Nutrients, total and SID amino acids, energy, minerals and lactic acid of the EPs side by side for the formula.Cattle · PigsTechnical tool · Feed industry
Nutrient supply from EP fermented feeds
Enter the inclusion rate of one or more EP fermented feeds: the tool calculates how much protein, lysine, energy, lactic acid, calcium and phosphorus each tonne of feed receives.
Supply per tonne of feed
- Crude protein supplied
- kg per t of feed
- EP fermented feeds in the feed
- %
- Product per tonne
- kg/t
Supply per tonne of feed Nutrient Per tonne In the feed For the batch Crude protein 0.00 kg/t 0.00 % 0.00 kg/t SID lysine, pigs 0.00 kg/t 0.000 % 0.00 kg/t ME pigs 0 MJ/t 0.00 MJ/kg 0 MJ/t Lactic acid 0.00 kg/t 0.00 % 0.00 kg/t Calcium 0 g/t 0.00 g/kg 0 g/t Phosphorus 0 g/t 0.00 g/kg 0 g/t Digestible phosphorus 0 g/t 0.00 g/kg 0 g/t Which product supplies each nutrientshare of the supply by product, % Enter the inclusion rate of at least one product.
How it is calculated
For each product: kg per tonne of feed = inclusion % × 10; supply = kg of product × content from the manufacturer’s technical data sheet (g or MJ per kg). The total supply is the sum of the products included.
Contents used in the calculation, per kg of product Nutrient EP100 EP199 EP200 Crude protein g/kg 340 338 495 SID lysine, pigs g/kg 15.6 14.9 26.1 ME pigs MJ/kg 10.1 10.6 14.7 Lactic acid g/kg 60 50 74 Calcium g/kg 6.7 7.1 3.8 Phosphorus g/kg 9.7 9.6 6.7 Digestible phosphorus g/kg 6.3 6.3 4.6 The supply covers only the EP fermented feeds: the rest of the formula is not considered.
Open the tool full page: Nutrient supply from EP fermented feeds
Nutrient supply from EP fermented feeds
From EP100, EP199 and EP200 rates to protein, SID lysine, energy and minerals per tonne.What the EPs bring to your animals’ feed: protein, lysine, energy and minerals.From EP100, EP199 and EP200 inclusion rates to protein, SID lysine, energy and minerals per tonne.PigsTechnical tool · Feed industry
Dosage per batch
From the batch size and the tonnes produced in a week, the kilograms of each product to load at the reference inclusion rates or at the rates you set. The total is checked.
Products to load
- Products to load per batch
- kg
- Batches per week
- Total inclusion
- %
Quantities per batch and per week Product Inclusion Per batch Per week EP199 0% 0 kg 0 kg EP200 0% 0 kg 0 kg Hextra 19 0% 0 kg 0 kg Mamy Nova 1% 1% 20 kg 500 kg Rest of the formula 99% 1,980 kg 49,500 kg Total of listed products 1% 20 kg 500 kg Composition of one batchin % and kg A 2,000 kg batch needs 20 kg of Mamy Nova 1%; with 50 t a week, 0.5 t of products in total.
Reference inclusion rates
Reference inclusion rates of Alpha products Product Inclusion Per 1,000 kg Use EP199 — — inclusion rate to be set with Alpha’s technical service EP200 — — inclusion rate to be set with Alpha’s technical service Hextra 19 — — inclusion rate to be set with Alpha’s technical service Mamy Nova 1% 1% 10 kg 1% of the lactation feed EP199, EP200 and Hextra 19: the inclusion rate should be set with Alpha’s technical service. Mamy Nova 1%: to be added to standard farrowing-room diets (technical data sheet (Italian)).
Dosage per batch
Kilograms of EP199, EP200, Hextra 19 and Mamy Nova per batch and per week.Kilograms of EP199, EP200, Hextra 19 and Mamy Nova for your batch and per week.Kilograms of EP199, EP200, Hextra 19 and Mamy Nova per batch and weekly requirement.PigsTechnical tool · Feed industry
Feed unit converter
Percentages, g/kg, kg/t, g/t, mg/kg and ppm in one go; and the conversion from grams per head per day to percentage of the ration, given the daily intake.
10 g/kgEquivalents
- Percentage
- %
- Grams per kg
- g/kg
- Kilograms per tonne
- kg/t
- Grams per tonne
- g/t
- Milligrams per kg
- mg/kg
- Parts per million
- ppm
Where the value sitslogarithmic scale from 1 ppm to 100% Dose and percentage
- Percentage of the ration
- %
- Equivalent concentration
- g/kg
1% = 10 g/kg = 10 kg/t = 10,000 g/t = 10,000 mg/kg = 10,000 ppm.
Table of equivalents
Equivalents between concentration units Value g/kg kg/t g/t mg/kg = ppm 1% 10 10 10,000 10,000 0.1% 1 1 1,000 1,000 1 g/kg 1 1 1,000 1,000 1 ppm 0.001 0.001 1 1 Dose and percentage: % of the ration = dose in g/head/day ÷ (intake in kg/head/day × 1,000) × 100. Worked example (test values): 200 g/head/day with 20 kg of ration = 1% (10 g/kg).
General conversion formulae (ppm by mass, mg/kg). Dose and intake must be expressed on the same basis, as fed or dry matter.
Feed unit converter
Converts %, g/kg, kg/t, g/t, mg/kg and ppm, and g/head/day to % of the ration.From grams per head per day to % of the ration, and between %, g/kg and kg/t.Between %, g/kg, kg/t, g/t, mg/kg and ppm for the formula, and from g/head/day to % of the ration.Cattle · PigsTechnical tool · Feed industry
Trial data: Mamy Nova 1%
The result stated in the Mamy Nova 1% technical data sheet for lactating sows: litter weight at weaning, with chart, data table and source.
+4–8%Published results
Mamy Nova 1%: litter weight at weaning
+4–8%
Weaning weight
with Mamy Nova at 1% of the lactation feed
Source: Mamy Nova 1% technical data sheet, Alpha Srl
Higher feed intake, a well-developed mammary system and reduced oxidative stress lead to higher milk production: in field trials and studies at experimental stations, weaning weight increases by 4 to 8%, and so does the number of piglets weaned.
Increase in weaning weightrange stated in the technical data sheet, % Source: Mamy Nova 1% technical data sheet, Alpha Srl (Italian).
Data table
Increase in weaning weight with Mamy Nova 1% Value Increase Minimum 4% Maximum 8% To calculate how much Mamy Nova you need in the farrowing room, use the dedicated tool Mamy Nova in the farrowing room.
Trial data: Mamy Nova 1%
Mamy Nova 1% in lactating sows: litter weight at weaning.Mamy Nova 1% results on farm in sows: litter weight at weaning.Trial data on Mamy Nova 1% in lactating sows, with the source of every value.PigsTechnical tool · Feed industry
Reference rations
The rations published in technical articles written by Alpha’s technical service and in related studies: composition by phase, stacked bar chart and analytical data, with a link to the original article.
18.04% DMRation composition
Danish finishing pigs on whole-ear maize silagecomposition, % of dry matter Analytical data · 40/80 kg
Danish finishing pigs on whole-ear maize silage Table 1, % of dry matter
Ration used on a farm in the Lodi area (about 4,000 Danish pigs): no wheat bran or beet pulp, the fibre comes from the whole-ear maize silage.
For pigs: biscuit meal, former foodstuffs and distillers’ grains only for pigs outside the Parma ham PDO circuit.
Composition % of dry matter
Ration composition, % of dry matter Component 40/80 kg 80/120 kg 120/165 kg Whole-ear maize silage (5.8% crude fibre) 33.0 33.0 33.0 Solvent-extracted soya bean meal 17.0 14.0 11.0 Whey 12.0 11.0 12.0 Wheat distillers’ grains 8.0 12.0 14.0 Broken biscuits (biscuit meal) 27.0 27.0 27.0 Mineral feed 3.0 3.0 3.0 Total 100.00 100.00 100.00 Analytical data
Analytical data Parameter 40/80 kg 80/120 kg 120/165 kg Crude protein % DM 18.04 17.71 17.09 Crude fat % DM 5.57 5.72 5.81 Crude fibre % DM 4.48 4.34 4.20 Crude ash % DM 6.50 6.55 6.60 Total lysine % DM 1.07 1.00 0.92 Digestible energy kcal/kg DM 3,875 3,875 3,875 Source: M. Rizzi, “Pastone integrale: un tesoro in azienda” (Whole-ear maize silage: a treasure on the farm), Suinicoltura no. 1, January 2014, pp. 44–46, Table 1. Read the article (PDF, Italian)
PDO heavy pig: maize and bran or whole-ear maize silage Table 2, % of dry matter
A whole-ear maize silage with 4.8% crude fibre used at 50% of the ration replaces the wheat bran entirely; the ration should be corrected for the slight drop in protein.
Composition % of dry matter
Ration composition, % of dry matter Component Maize + bran Whole-ear maize silage Maize meal 53.5 15.0 Barley 15.0 15.0 Solvent-extracted soya bean meal 15.0 16.0 Wheat bran 12.5 – Mineral feed 3.0 3.0 Lard 1.0 1.0 Whole-ear maize silage (4.8% crude fibre) – 50.0 Total 100.00 100.00 Analytical data
Analytical data Parameter Maize + bran Whole-ear maize silage Crude protein % DM 16.80 16.45 Crude fat % DM 4.25 4.17 Crude fibre % DM 4.75 4.70 Crude ash % DM 5.25 4.90 Total lysine % DM 0.87 0.86 Digestible energy kcal/kg DM 3,635 3,650 Source: M. Rizzi, “Pastone integrale: un tesoro in azienda” (Whole-ear maize silage: a treasure on the farm), Suinicoltura no. 1, January 2014, pp. 44–46, Table 2. Read the article (PDF, Italian)
Lactating sows: standard diet and diet with biscuit meal Table 7, % of feed (analysis as fed)
Biscuit meal partly replaces the raw cereals: with the other ration parameters unchanged, sugars double. In the chart, herring meal and soya oil are combined.
For pigs: biscuit meal, former foodstuffs and distillers’ grains only for pigs outside the Parma ham PDO circuit.
Composition % of feed (analysis as fed)
Ration composition, % of feed (analysis as fed) Component Standard diet Biscuit meal diet Maize 38.5 30.8 Barley 15.0 10.0 Solvent-extracted soya bean meal 13.0 12.0 Wheat bran 25.0 25.0 Herring meal 2.5 2.5 Soya oil 2.5 1.2 Mineral supplement 3.5 3.5 Biscuit meal – 15.0 Total 100.00 100.00 Analytical data
Analytical data Parameter Standard diet Biscuit meal diet Crude protein % as fed 16.8 16.9 Crude fat % as fed 5.5 5.5 Crude fibre % as fed 5.3 5.3 Ash % as fed 5.5 5.5 Lysine % as fed 0.95 0.95 Sugars % as fed 3.1 6.2 Digestible energy kcal/kg 3,190 3,195 Source: D. Cevolani, V. Massa, M. Rizzi, “Biscotti nella razione di scrofe e suinetti” (Biscuit meal in sow and piglet rations), Suinicoltura no. 9, 2007, pp. 54–58, Table 7. Read the article (PDF, Italian)
Heavy pig: control and diet with 10% bakery products Table 2, % as fed
Isoproteic diets, estimated to be isocaloric, for heavy pigs from 40 to 160 kg; in the chart, calcium carbonate, dicalcium phosphate, sodium chloride and supplement are combined as “Minerals and supplement”.
For pigs: biscuit meal, former foodstuffs and distillers’ grains only for pigs outside the Parma ham PDO circuit.
Composition % as fed
Ration composition, % as fed Component Control 40–80 kg Control 80–120 kg Control 120–160 kg PDPF 40–80 kg PDPF 80–120 kg PDPF 120–160 kg Maize meal 41.90 44.50 48.00 32.16 35.00 41.00 Barley meal 14.00 21.00 26.40 14.00 21.00 23.86 Solvent-extracted soya bean meal 44% 24.00 18.70 13.00 24.00 18.50 12.70 Soft wheat bran 12.00 13.00 10.00 12.00 13.00 10.00 Flaked maize 5.00 – – 5.00 – – Calcium carbonate 1.50 1.70 1.70 1.40 1.60 1.50 Dicalcium phosphate 1.00 0.30 – 0.80 0.10 – Sodium chloride 0.30 0.30 0.40 0.30 0.30 0.40 Bakery products and by-products (PDPF) – – – 10.00 10.00 10.00 Vitamin-mineral supplement 0.30 0.50 0.50 0.30 0.50 0.50 Total 100.00 100.00 100.00 99.96 100.00 99.96 Analytical data
Analytical data Parameter Control 40–80 kg Control 80–120 kg Control 120–160 kg PDPF 40–80 kg PDPF 80–120 kg PDPF 120–160 kg Protein % as fed 17.72 16.55 14.14 17.82 16.47 14.24 Fat % as fed 3.49 3.29 3.16 3.94 3.38 3.69 Starch % as fed 44.57 41.85 45.20 42.80 42.93 42.68 Digestible energy (Whittemore, 1989) kcal 3,416 3,384 3,412 3,406 3,390 3,408 Net energy (Noblet, 1994) kcal 2,569 2,503 2,523 2,565 2,509 2,526 Linoleic acid C18:2 % DM 1.49 1.36 1.53 1.89 1.62 1.77 Source: A. Prandini, M. Morlacchini, C. Cerioli, G. Piva, “Derivati della lavorazione di prodotti da forno nella razione di suini pesanti” (Bakery by-products in heavy pig diets), Suinicoltura no. 5, 2007, pp. 81–86, Table 2. Read the article (PDF, Italian)
Reference rations
Rations from the technical articles: composition by phase, chart and analytical data.The rations from the technical articles phase by phase, to compare with yours.Composition of the rations from the technical articles by phase, with chart and analytical data.Pigs
Biogas and energyBiogas and energy 1
Biogas and energy
Biogas table
What does methane cost when it is produced from maize meal, PrimeBoost or wheat bran? Enter the purchase prices: the table calculates yields, electrical kWh and costs with the dry matter, biogas and methane values supplied by Alpha. You can add a product of your own by entering its composition.
How we calculate
Values from Alpha’s table. Maize meal: DM 87%, 724 m³ of biogas per t of DM, methane 50.5%. PrimeBoost: DM 78%, 796 m³/t DM, methane 56%. Wheat bran: DM 87%, 460 m³/t DM, methane 58%. These values cannot be changed.
Formulas. Biogas per t as fed = biogas per t of DM × DM % (rounded to the unit, as in the table). Methane per t as fed = biogas per t as fed × methane %. Electrical kWh per t as fed = methane per t as fed × 4.2 (electrical kWh per m³ of methane: about 9.97 kWh per m³ × 42% electrical efficiency). Methane and electrical kWh per t of DM = values per t as fed ÷ DM %. Cost per m³ of biogas = price ÷ biogas per t as fed; cost per m³ of methane = price ÷ methane per t as fed; cost per electrical kWh (€/kWh) = price ÷ electrical kWh per t as fed.
Additional product: Baserga equations. With digestible carbohydrates (C), proteins (P) and fats (F) as % of dry matter: biogas (m³/t DM) = 7.9 × C + 7.0 × P + 12.5 × F; methane (m³/t DM) = 3.95 × C + 4.97 × P + 8.5 × F; methane % = methane ÷ biogas × 100. Per kg of nutrient: carbohydrates 790 l of biogas at 50% methane, proteins 700 l at 71%, fats 1,250 l at 68%. Example: a maize meal with 85% carbohydrates and 8% proteins on DM gives about 727 m³ of biogas per t of DM at 51.6% methane (Alpha’s table: 724 at 50.5%). The yields apply to digestible nutrients: for fibrous products the real yield may be lower.
Prices. Biogas maize meal €201/t (197–205) and soft wheat bran and middlings €166/t (165–167): Granaria di Milano, price list of 20 October 2026, delivered. PrimeBoost €200/t: Alpha price. Dated reference prices (currently Granaria di Milano, 20 October 2026), which you can replace with your own. Indicative average yields from analyses: the actual yield depends on the plant.
Biogas table
Methane cost of maize meal, PrimeBoost, wheat bran and a product of your own.
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