NutriSpar helps Danish pig farmer raise healthier pigs

In the Herning area in Denmark, nestled among fields and away from major roads, lies Frølund Agro A/S and the family farm “Nørregård.” Anders Rahbek has been managing the farm since 1988. Three years ago, he began transitioning operations to his son, Brian, as part of a generational handover.

“We operate a pig production system where we purchase 7-kg piglets. Each year, we buy 38,000 piglets, slaughter around 22,000, and sell the rest as 30-kg pigs. We also cultivate 650 hectares of crops and are about 80% self-supplying in cereals,” explains Anders Rahbek.

NutriSpar promotes healthier pigs

Farming has evolved significantly since Anders Rahbek started in 1988, requiring greater attention to both farm management and animal welfare. One of his key focuses is ESG – an approach that emphasizes Environmental, Social, and Governance responsibility across industries.

ESG overview:

• Environment: Climate change, pollution, water usage, biodiversity, and circular economy.
• Social: Employees, workers in the value chain, local communities, and consumers.
• Governance: Business ethics, whistleblowing, and anti-corruption.

For Rahbek, the Environment aspect has been a major focus.

“About 18 months ago, we assessed our farm’s ESG status, paying particular attention to the environmental aspect. We found that soy meal was a challenge – not only for the pigs but also in terms of emissions and excretions,” he recalls.

Initially, the team attempted to reduce soy meal in the pigs’ diet. However, this led to lower meat percentages, which was nota viable solution. Encouraged by his advisor, Flemming, Rahbek decided to try NutriSpar – a product of advanced cyclic fermentation combined with specific plant extracts that enhance pigs’ feed utilization.

“We’ve been using NutriSpar for about 18 months, and the results are clear: higher meat percentages, healthier pigs, and less digestive stress. Plus, we’ve successfully reduced soy meal usage by 2 to 2.5% points,” he says.

READ MORE ABOUT NUTRISPAR HERE

NutriSpar Offers Economic Advantages

NutriSpar optimizes feed efficiency, enabling a reduction in protein content without compromising productivity. It also lowers nitrogen excretions, reduces feed costs, and potentially cuts the carbon footprint of pig production through reduced use of soy bean meal.

Thanks to its unique combination of active ingredients, NutriSpar provides an economical solution for pig feeding and is suitable for both mineral and compound feed for weaned and slaughtered pigs. For Anders Rahbek, the decision to use NutriSpar for pigs from 30 kg until slaughter has been a positive one. Based on his experience, he is happy to recommend it.

“I can’t guarantee that our results would apply to all herds, but based on what we’ve seen, I wouldn’t hesitate to suggest it as an option worth exploring,” he concludes.