ANSC 3120 F’21

Feed Formulation 2

In this assignment, you will formulate diets for starter, growing or finishing pigs using a
comprehensive Excel spreadsheet. You will then use least cost ration formulation (LCRF) to
determine how the inclusion of various feed ingredients can affect diet costs and overall cost of
production.

In CourseLink, under Feed Formulation 2, you will find the Excel file:
Least cost feed formulation Swine Nut v.2014 for ANSC 7 to 11 kg BW.xls

Please open. You may get the message “This workbook contains macros…….”. Please click on
“Enable macros”.

There are 2 worksheets in the file: “Nutrient specs” which provide a comprehensive nutrient
composition profile for major feed ingredients used for feeding pigs (for the ANSC 3120 FF 2
assignment); and “Formulation” which is the spreadsheet you will use to carry out the FF2 diet
formulations. You will be using both spreadsheets for your assignment. Click on this worksheet
on the bottom taskbar.

This assignment will include least cost ration formulation (LCRF). To ensure the
spreadsheet will do this, follow these instructions to add the “Solver” function to the
computer you are using.

Mac enable:

1. Tools
2. Add-ins
3. Solver

Windows enable:

1. File
2. Options
3. Add-ins
4. Bottom left corner "manage" and click "go". Another small window will open, click on
"solver"

This formulation program is very detailed but for the ANSC 3120 FF 2 assignment, we are only
interested in a limited number of parameters and applications.

In Column A, Rows 15 and 16: we are interested in calculating the actual feed cost in $ per tonne.
In the rest of Column A, you will find many nutrients that you should recognize, with some
exceptions. The first exception is in Row 29. STTD Phosphorus is an abbreviated form for
standardized total tract digestible phosphorus or the amount of dietary phosphorus that is
available to the pig. Another exception is the SID “prefix” found with many essential amino acids
in Column A. SID is an abbreviated form for standardized ileal digestible; remember that amino

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acids are not going to be valuable to the pig unless they can be absorbed from the small intestine.
The same can be stated for SID N, in that for maximum utilization of dietary N, absorption needs to
occur by the end of the small intestine.

In Row 19, we have the terms “Actual”, “Constraint”, and “Active” in columns B, D, and E
respectively.

“Actual” refers to the actual amount that is in the diet. As you build your diet, these values will
change.

“Constraint” refers to a maximum value that you want to set for the specific attribute. You
will be changing these values for the assignment based on the weight class of pigs you are
feeding. You will be comparing the values in “Actual” versus “Constraint” to see if your diet
meets requirements.

“Active” tells you that these are nutrients we are interested in.

Starting at Column H, Rows 16 and 17 provide the ingredient price ($/tonne) and Ingredient
Inclusion Level (kg/tonne on an as-fed basis). You will be recording numbers or values for the
Ingredient Inclusion Level.

Row 16, Column AL states “total amount, kg”. After completing your formulation, you will need
to ensure that the value for Row 17, Column AL is 1000 which indicates that the amount of the
feed ingredients you have added totals 1000 kg or 1 tonne. You will have to check this manually.

For the most part, you do not have to worry about the center part of the spreadsheet- Columns H
to AJ (from Rows 20 to 60) in regards to entering any values. The exception is Row 61 where you
will see the number 1 entered in the cells for specific feed ingredients. This “1” tells the program
not to use this feedstuff in least cost ration formulation. You will be removing the “1” from
selected feedstuffs in part of your assignment. However, rows 22 to 45 give you information
about the nutrient composition of each feedstuff which will be important when answering
some of the questions in the assignment. Nutrient composition information can also be
found in the Nutrient specs sheet.

Throughout the course, it has been stated that nutrient requirements are
going to decrease as animals get older. You are going to examine what the
impact on feed costs will be as you formulate diets for different body weight
classes of pigs. You will also see how diet formulation changes with changing
nutrient requirements.

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Part 1

The first step is to enter, in Column D (Constraint column), the appropriate numerical values for
specific nutrient specifications for the weight class of pig that you are formulating diets for. These
are listed in Table 1 based on each student’s surname.

Ensure that your spreadsheet has 1 listed in the cells in Row 61 for the following feed ingredients:
wheat shorts, DDGS, canola meal, bakery meal, and the Macro premix. The “1” in these cells
prevents the program from using these feed ingredients. Please note you are using 4 synthetic
amino acids in your formulations: lysine, methionine, threonine, and tryptophan.

Click on Formulate to conduct a least cost ration formulation for a basic corn/soy diet with soy
referred to as SBM. Record the cost of the diet and the nutrients provided (nutrient content found
in Actual) in Table 2. In addition, list the quantities for each feed ingredient in Table 2. This is
referred to as your “original diet”. You will then formulate a total of 5 diets using various feed
ingredients for Part 1.

Disclaimer: we are using this program as a tool to teach principles of feed formulation and
least cost ration formulation. Some of the formulated diets will not be appropriate for the
specific pig weight class. With any least cost ration formulation, it is the responsibility of
the user to ensure that the final ration is suitable for the animal that is to be fed and
whether palatability, acceptability and toxicity problems may be present in the ration
formulated.

Formulate a diet with only amino acids & minerals fed with corn (Diet 1): In lecture, we
stated that a protein supplement was needed for feeding with corn to provide more protein in the
diet and more essential amino acids. What happens to diet costs if only synthetic amino acids are
available? Let’s see what happens if one only has a source of amino acids to work with. Ensure
that your spreadsheet has 1 listed in the cells in Row 61 for the following feed ingredients: SBM
(soybean meal), wheat shorts, DDGS, canola meal, bakery meal, and the Macro premix. The “1” in
these cells prevents the program from using these feed ingredients. Also, make sure that Row 16
has the following prices for feedstuffs: $536 for SBM (soybean meal), $336 for dry corn, $251
for wheat shorts, $367 for corn DDGS, $1120 for Dical, $1260 for Mono-Cal, $304 for salt,
$1100 for Micro premix, $1040 for Animal/Veg Fat, $2100 for Lysine HCl, $2950 for
methionine, $1790 for threonine, $9750 for tryptophan, $448 for canola meal, and $411 for
bakery meal.

Click on Formulate to conduct a least cost ration formulation (LCRF) for a basic corn diet; this will
be known as your Amino Acids only diet (Diet 1) for the body weight class assigned to your
surname. Record the cost of the diet, the nutrients provided (nutrient content found in Actual),
and the quantities for each feed ingredient in Table 2. Save the diet with a unique name so you
can refer to it later, if needed. You will then formulate 4 additional diets for the specific body
weight class. Disclaimer: we are using this program as a tool to teach principles of feed
formulation and LCRF. Some of the formulated diets will not be appropriate for the specific
pig weight class. With any ration formulation, it is the responsibility of the user to ensure

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that the final ration is suitable for the animal that is to be fed and whether palatability,
acceptability and toxicity problems may be present in the ration formulated. This Excel
program will give students an idea on how LCRF works. However, we are limited with the
numb er of feedstuffs we can work with in this program.

Diet 2: Remove the “1” from Row 61 for wheat shorts and soybean meal; this diet should still have
“1” removed for the 4 synthetic amino acids. Click on formulate to see how the diet formulation
changes when you add a lower cost feed ingredient along with soybean meal. Record the cost of
the diet (Actual feed cost ($/tonne)) and determine if all nutrient requirements are met (Table
2).

Wheat shorts is priced at $251 per tonne. For the next part of this assignment, Start
increasing the cost of wheat shorts in $50 increments ($301, $351, etc ) and see when the
LCRF program no longer uses wheat shorts and record the cost of the diet in Table 2. Or if
the LCRF program does not use wheat shorts for Diet 2, then decrease the cost of wheat
shorts in $50 increments ($201, $151, etc. ) and see when the LCRF program starts to use
wheat shorts and record the cost of the diet in Table 2.

Diet 3: Continue using Diet 2 but change the price of wheat shorts back to $251/tonne. Then
place a “1” in Row 61 for wheat shorts and then remove the “1” from Row 61 for bakery meal, click
on formulate and record cost of the diet & determine if all nutrient requirements are met (Table
2).

Diet 4: Continue using Diet 3 but place a “1” in Row 61 for bakery meal. Then remove the “1” from
Row 61 for DDGS, click on formulate and record cost of the diet and determine if all nutrient
requirements are met (Table 2).

Diet 5: Continue using Diet 4 but place a by placing a “1” in Row 61 for DDGS. Then remove the
“1” from Row 61 for canola meal, click on formulate and record cost of the diet and determine if all
nutrient requirements are met (Table 2).

Part 2
You are now going to use the least cost ration formulation capabilities of the program by
allowing the program to use various feed ingredients.

Diet 6: To evaluate what happens when an inorganic source of phosphorus (phosphorus

supplement) cannot be added to the diet, start with your original diet formulation, go to Row 61
and place a 1 IN ROW 61 FOR DICAL and a 1 IN ROW 61 FOR MONO-CAL. Click on formulate,
record cost and determine if all nutrient requirements are met (Table 4). In addition, list the
quantities of each feed ingredient in Table 3. Discuss how the diet formulation changes when you
can no longer use an inorganic source of phosphorus in the diet. Using the Nutrient Specs
spreadsheet and the nutrient composition of the major feed ingredients in your diet, explain why
the diet formulation is changing.

Diet 7: To evaluate what happens when other energy sources are added to the diet, start with
your original diet formulation (inorganic phosphorus supplements available), and remove the 1

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in Row 61 for both wheat shorts and bakery meal. Click on formulate, record cost and determine if
all nutrient requirements are met (Table 4). In addition, list the quantities of each feed ingredient
in Table 3. Discuss how the complete diet formulation changes when other energy sources are
added to the diet and how this impacts cost of the diet. Using the Nutrient Specs spreadsheet and
the nutrient composition of the major feed ingredients in your diet, explain why the diet
formulation is changing.

Diet 8: To evaluate what happens when low cost protein sources are added to the diet, start with
Diet 7, go to Row 61 and place a 1 in Row 61 for wheat shorts and bakery meal and remove the 1
for DDGS and canola meal. Click on formulate, record cost and determine if all nutrient
requirements are met (Table 4). In addition, list the quantities of each feed ingredient in Table 3.
Discuss how the complete diet formulation changes when low cost protein sources are added to
the diet and how this impacts cost of the diet. Using the Nutrient Specs spreadsheet and the
nutrient composition of the major feed ingredients in your diet, explain why the diet formulation
is changing.

Diet 9: To evaluate what happens when amino acids and low cost energy and protein sources are
added to the diet, start with your Diet 8 formulation, go to Row 61 and remove the 1 in Row 61 for
bakery meal and wheat shorts. Click on formulate, record cost and determine if all nutrient
requirements are met (Table 4). In addition, list the quantities for each feed ingredient in Table 3.
Discuss how the complete diet formulation changes when amino acids and low cost protein
sources are added to the diet and how this impacts cost of the diet. Using the Nutrient Specs
spreadsheet and the nutrient composition of the major feed ingredients in your diet, explain why
the diet formulation is changing.

Diet 10: To evaluate what happens when prices of major feed ingredients change, and amino acids
and low cost energy and protein sources are added to the diet, start with Diet 9 and change the
prices of the following feed ingredients to 2020 costs: $269 for dry corn, $267 for wheat
shorts, $301 for corn DDGS, $428 for canola meal, and $340 for bakery meal. Click on
formulate, record cost and determine if all nutrient requirements are met (Table 4). In addition,
list the quantities for each feed ingredient in Table 3. Discuss how the complete diet formulation
changes and cost of the diet changes as compared to Diet 9 when major feed ingredient costs
change.

Part 3
This section will use the diet formulations for the lowest and highest priced diets in Part 2. Based
on the body weight gain (g/day) for the specific weight class of pigs assigned to your surname
(Table 1), calculate the number of days it will take for pigs to go from the lowest weight to the
heaviest weight in the specific weight class, i.e. Ratnakumar to Zhang from 11 - 25 kg. Then using
the estimated feed intake (g/d) for the specific weight class of pigs assigned to your surname
(Table 1), determine the amounts of feed ingredients and total cost for 4000 pigs to be fed from
the lightest to the heaviest weight in the specific weight class. Calculate these using both the
lowest and highest priced diets in Part 2 and state the difference in cost, i.e. savings between the
cheapest and most expensive diets and present this in a table. Also show how you calculated these
values.

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Feed Formulation 2- what to hand in

Students may hand in a word or pdf file. You may take screenshots of your excel files or
save them as pdf files and paste in your word file. This is an individual student assignment .

1) Tables 2 to 4 completely filled in

2) For Part 1: before you start, the assignment for individual students is based on their last
name and the specific weight class of pigs they are using. Depending on pig weight class,
the LCRF may not change at all, change very little, or change extensively as you substitute
feed ingredients in the diet.

a) Amino acids only diet: discuss how the formulation and cost of the diet are affected
when there is no protein supplement available for diet formulation. Based on the Amino acids
only diet formulation, what are the 3 most limiting essential amino acids in corn and which of
these most likely has the greatest effect on the cost of the diet? Explain your answer.

b) Diet 2 (adding wheat shorts): i) discuss how the formulation and cost of the diet are
affected when you allow wheat shorts to be used in the diet formulation. Using the Nutrient Specs
spreadsheet and the nutrient composition of the major feed ingredients in your diet, explain why
and how wheat shorts are affecting the diet formulation from your original diet. ii) How much do
you have to change the cost of wheat shorts before it is no longer used, or used in the diet
formulation? How much has the cost per tonne of the diet changed when you no longer are
able/or are able to use wheat shorts in the diet formulation?

c) Diet 3 (adding bakery meal): discuss how the formulation and cost of the diet are
affected when you allow bakery meal to be used in the diet formulation. Using the Nutrient Specs
spreadsheet and the nutrient composition of the major feed ingredients in your diet, i) explain
why and how the addition of bakery meal is affecting the diet formulation from your original diet
or ii) if no bakery meal is included in the diet formulation, explain why, and tell us what feed
ingredient in your diet is supplying the major nutrients found in bakery meal.

d) Diet 4: (adding DDGS): discuss how the formulation and cost of the diet are affected
when you allow DDGS to be used in the diet formulation. Using the Nutrient Specs spreadsheet
and the nutrient composition of the major feed ingredients in your diet, i) explain why and how
the addition of DDGS is affecting the diet formulation from your original diet or ii) if no DDGS is
included in the diet formulation, explain why, and tell us what feed ingredient in your diet is
supplying the major nutrients found in DDGS.

e) Diet 5: (adding canola meal): discuss how the formulation and cost of the diet are
affected when you allow canola meal to be used in the diet formulation. Using the Nutrient Specs
spreadsheet and the nutrient composition of the major feed ingredients in your diet, i) explain
why and how the addition of canola meal is affecting the diet formulation from your original diet
or ii) if no canola meal is included in the diet formulation, explain why and tell us what feed

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ingredient in your diet is supplying the major nutrients found in canola meal. ii) By adding canola
meal, is it affecting the use of synthetic amino acids in your diet. Explain why/why not.

3) For Part 2:

a) For Diets 6 to 10, make sure you have cover all we ask of you for the diets as stated on
Pages 4 and 5 under Part 2.

4) For Part 3:

a) Calculate the number of days on feed for pigs to go from the lightest to the heaviest
weight in the specific weight class. Show your calculations.

b) Determine the amounts of feed ingredients and total cost for 4000 pigs to be fed for the
calculated days on feed. Calculate these using both the lowest and highest priced diets in Part 2
and state the difference in cost, i.e. savings between the cheapest and most expensive diets.
Present this data in a table and show your calculations.

Table 1: Nutrient Requirements for Pigs Based on Weight Class

Student Surname
Ratnakumar Maaskant to Abu-Alhaija D’Andrea Haine to
to Zhang Pynenburg to Cupryn to Gurney Lusby

Body Weight Range of Pigs (kg)

Item 11 to 25 25 to 50 50 to 75 75 to 100 100 to
135
Body weight gain (g/day) 585 758 900 917 867
Estimated feed intake (g/d) 953 1582 2229 2636 2933
NE content of diet (kcal/kg) 2412 2475 2475 2475 2475
Total calcium, % 0.7 0.66 0.59 0.52 0.46
STTD Phosphorus (%) 0.33 0.31 0.27 0.24 0.21
SID Lysine (%) 1.23 0.98 0.85 0.73 0.61
SID Methionine (%) 0.36 0.28 0.24 0.21 0.18
SID Methionine & Cysteine 0.68 0.55 0.48 0.42 0.36
(%)
SID Threonine (%) 0.73 0.59 0.52 0.46 0.40
SID Tryptophan (%) 0.20 0.17 0.15 0.13 0.11
SID Valine (%) 0.78 0.64 0.55 0.48 0.41
SID N (%) 2.56 2.11 1.84 1.61 1.37

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 Table 2. Diet Costs and Nutrients Provided for Pigs Based on
Simple Diet Modifications (Part 1 of assignment)
Weight class of pigs diet formulated for:
Nutrient Feed Costs & amounts of Nutrients Provided for diets
Item Reqt. for Original Diet 1: Diet 2 Diet 3 Diet 4 Diet 5
Specific Diet Amino
Weight Acids Added Added Added
Class Corn/ Only Wheat Bakery Added Canola
SBM diet shorts meal DDGS meal
Actual feed cost ($/tonne) N/A
NE content of diet (kcal/kg)
Total calcium, %
STTD Phosphorus (%)
SID Lysine (%)
SID Methionine (%)
SID Meth & Cysteine (%)
SID Threonine (%)
SID Tryptophan (%)
SID Valine (%)
SID N (%)
Diet 2 only; how much do you have to increase/decrease the price of wheat shorts before it is no
longer used/ or actually used in the formulation and what is the cost of the diet without wheat
shorts? (place those values in the next row)
New price of wheat shorts (cost/tonne): Cost of diet (cost/tonne):

Dietary Ingredient Composition Based on Least Cost Ration Formulations

(Part 1 of assignment) kg/tonne
Original Diet 1 Diet 2 Diet 3 Diet 4 Diet 5
Diet
SBM
Corn
Wheat Shorts
DDGS
Dical
Monocal
Limestone
Salt
Micro premix
Animal/Veg Fat
LYS
METH
THR
TRP
Canola meal
Bakery waste
Macro premix 0 0 0 0 0 0

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 Table 3. Dietary Ingredient Composition Based on Least Cost Ration Formulations
(Part 2 of assignment) kg/tonne
Diet
Original Diet 6 Diet 7 Diet 8 Diet 9 Diet 10
Diet
Wheat DDGS & All feed Using 2020
Ingredient Corn/ No inorganic shorts & Canola ingredients feed
SBM diet phosphorus bakery meal ingredient
meal costs
SBM
Corn
Wheat Shorts
DDGS
Dical
Monocal
Limestone
Salt
Micro premix
Animal/Veg Fat
LYS
METH
THR
TRP
Canola meal
Bakery waste
Macro premix 0 0 0 0 0 0

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Table 4. Diet Costs and Nutrients Provided for Pigs Based on Least Cost Ration Formulations
(Part 2 of assignment)
Weight class diet formulated for: Feed Cost & Amounts of Nutrients Provided for Diets

Original Diet 6 Diet 7 Diet 8 Diet 9 Diet 10

Nutrient Diet
Requirements Wheat DDGS & All feed Using 2020
for Specific No shorts & Canola ingredients feed
Item Weight Class Corn/ inorganic bakery meal ingredient
SBM diet phosphorus meal costs
Actual feed cost ($/tonne) Not applicable
NE content of diet (kcal/kg)
Total calcium, %
STTD Phosphorus (%)
SID Lysine (%)
SID Methionine (%)
SID Methionine & Cysteine
(%)
SID Threonine (%)
SID Tryptophan (%)
SID Valine (%)
SID N (%)
The following instructions are based starting with your original diet formulation
Corn/Soy (SBM) but no inorganic P (Diet 6): USING YOUR ORIGINAL DIET place a 1 IN ROW 61 FOR DICAL and a 1 IN
ROW 61 FOR MONO-CAL
Wheat shorts & bakery meal (Diet 7): USING YOUR ORIGINAL DIET, REMOVE THE 1 IN ROW 61 FOR WHEAT SHORTS
AND BAKERY MEAL
DDGS & Canola meal (Diet 8): USING DIET 7, PLACE A 1 IN ROW 61 FOR WHEAT SHORTS AND BAKERY MEAL AND
REMOVE THE 1 IN ROW 61 FOR DDGS AND CANOLA MEAL
All feed ingredients (Diet 9): USING Diet 8, REMOVE THE 1 IN ROW 61 FOR WHEAT SHORTS AND BAKERY MEAL
Using 2020 feed ingredient costs (Diet 10): USING DIET 9, change the prices of the following feed ingredients to
2020 costs: $269 for dry corn, $267 for wheat shorts, $301 for corn DDGS, $428 for canola meal, and $340 for
bakery meal.
FOR ALL DIETS, YOU WILL ALWAYS HAVE A “1” FOR THE MACRO PREMIX

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