Phosphorus consumption, utilisation and losses in pig production in France, The Netherlands and Denmark

Over the last decade increased attention has been devoted to the utilisatio n and excretion of phosphorus (P) in pig fanning. In The Netherlands (NL), restrictions on manure P application have been introduced, and since the mi d-1980s, NZ has focused intensively on research aimed at reducing P excreti on. In Denmark (DK), such systematic research was not initiated until the b eginning of the 1990s. As a result, the P loss per pig produced is lower in NL than in France (F) or DK. The loss amounts to 1.3, 1.0 and 1.2 kg per p roduced standard pig in NL and DK, respectively. Most of the P consumed is not retained in the pig's body, but is excreted with faeces and urine. The mean excretion amounts to 70, 52 and 64% of the P intake in sows, weaners a nd growing pigs, respectively. The reasons for such low P utilisation can b e related to two major causes. First, the dietary P digestibility is low, a nd second, the dietary P recommendations may be too high. The low P digesti bility is the dominant problem and applies to all pig categories, whereas i naccurate recommendations are mainly an issue in sow feeding. This synopsis evaluates the overall status of P nutrition in pigs in F, NL and DK with r egard to research, methods to determine P digestibility in feedstuffs, feed phosphates and mixed diets, P requirement, effects of phytase supplementat ion, etc. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science BN. All rights reserved.