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# Life cycle assessment of low dietary crude protein strategies to improve pig nitrogen efficiency in different geographical contexts

Léa Cappelaere, Marie-Pierre Létourneau Montminy, Florence Garcia-Launay

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Léa Cappelaere, Marie-Pierre Létourneau Montminy, Florence Garcia-Launay. Life cycle assessment of low dietary crude protein strategies to improve pig nitrogen efficiency in different geographical contexts. 16. International Symposium on Digestive Physiology of Pigs (DPP2025), May 2025, Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, United States. , n.p., 2025, DPP2025 Book of Abstracts. hal-05425838

HAL Id: hal-05425838

https://hal.inrae.fr/hal-05425838v1

Submitted on 19 Dec 2025

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**60** Impact of a free organic acid blend on growth performance and mortality of nursery pigs under commercial conditions when combined with pharmacological zinc oxide and free benzoic acid. A. Hintz*¹, R. Edler², E. Little², J. A. Acosta¹, B. Lawrence¹, M. Castillo¹, and D. Hancock¹, ¹NOVUS International, Chesterfield, MO, USA, ²Pipestone Research, Pipestone, MN, USA. This experiment evaluated the addition of an organic acid blend first 22d (5kg/Ton, ACTIVATE DA Feed Solution, NOVUS International Inc, Chesterfield, MO; OAB) to weaned pigs raised under commercial conditions when used in combination with pharmacological zinc oxide and free benzoic acid. A total of 546 weaned pigs, approximately 21d of age (BW=7.23 kg), were housed in 42 pens and randomly assigned to 1 of 2 treatments (n=21): control (CON), CON+0.5% OAB. The study lasted 49d. In both treatments, a free benzoic acid was included in the diet (3.50, 2.28, and 0.80 kg/Ton for 0-7, 8-14, and 15-22 d, respectively) as was pharmacological zinc oxide (2,500 and 2,000 mg/kg of zinc for d 0-14 and 15-22, respectively) Data were analyzed in SAS V9.4 evaluating growth performance, feed efficiency, mortality, and pig quality. Sub-optimal pigs were visually identified in each pen at d 49 as noticeable small, poor-body condition pigs. The percentage of high-quality pigs were calculated as hundred percent of pigs minus the percentage of sub-optimal pigs at d 49. ADG from 0-49 d was 0.567 kg and 0.559 kg in pigs fed OAB and CON, respectively (P = 0.578). ADFI was 0.859kg and 0.854 kg for pigs fed OAB and those fed CON (P = 0.827). Gain to feed was 0.655 and 0.647 for OAB and CON pigs, respectively (P = 0.391). The final BW was 35.49 kg for OAB and 35.19 kg for CON (P = 0.747). High-quality pigs were 97.80% for pigs fed OAB compared with 95.60% for those in the CON (P = 0.039). Sub-optimal animals were 0.54% for pigs fed OAB and 1.31% for those in the CON (P = 0.285). Mortality for OAB-fed pigs was 1.63%, which tended to be lower than CON 3.11% (P = 0.092). In conclusion, adding OAB on top of a free benzoic and pharmacological zinc oxide improved pig quality at nursery exit and pig survival through the 49-d post-weaning period. **Key Words:** Nursery pigs, intestinal modifiers

**61** Life cycle assessment of low dietary crude protein strategies to improve pig nitrogen efficiency in different geographical contexts. L Cappelaere*¹, M-P Létourneau-Montminy¹, and F Garcia-Launay², ¹Département des sciences animales, Université Laval, Quebec, Quebec, Canada, ²PEGASE, INRAE, Institut Agro, Saint-Gilles, France. Dietary crude protein (CP) reduction is a strategy mostly implemented in Europe to improve nitrogen (N) efficiency, protein autonomy and environmental performance. This study aimed to explore the potential of CP reduction to reduce the environmental impacts of pig production in three contrasted contexts (Brazil, Canada, and France), characterized by raw materials used and pig farming practices. For each country, control treatments were formulated in 6 economic contexts to represent current practices and minimum CP reachable was determined. Least cost formulation was used in the six economic contexts to formulate a very low CP diet with a CP level 5 g/kg above minimum CP and an intermediate CP level. Pig performance was simulated with an individual-based model of the pig-fattening unit including InraPorc, and farm gate LCA was performed for all diets. Control CP levels were higher in Canada and Brazil than in France and CP reduction was greater (P < 0.001). Dietary CP reduction increased cereal and free amino acid inclusion in all contexts (P < 0.001), soybean meal inclusion decreased more with CP reduction in the French context (P < 0.001), co-products inclusion increased in Brazilian contexts but decreased in French and Canadian ones (P < 0.001). Growth performance was not affected by CP reduction (P < 0.001). N efficiency was improved in all contexts (P < 0.001), but to a lower extent for the French context, due to higher N efficiency in the control (P < 0.001). Acidification was reduced with CP in all contexts, with larger reductions in Canada and Brazil (P < 0.001). Climate change was only reduced in the French context and increased in other contexts (P < 0.001). Other evaluated impacts were stable or increased (P < 0.001). While acidification is reduced by CP reduction regardless of context, mitigation of other impacts depends on feedstuffs used and especially impact of corn compared to soybean meal in the production context. **Key Words:** low crude protein nitrogen efficiency environmental impacts

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