Rice can be a viable alternative for corn to reduce swine and poultry production costs in Brazil

Studies by Embrapa Suínos e Aves (SC) show that, from a nutritional point of view, rice can complement or replace corn in animal feed. The conclusion could be great news for Brazilian swine and poultry farmers facing high prices stemming from the growing appreciation of corn and soybeans. At the same time, the excess supply of rice in the national market, with a surplus of 600 to 800 thousand tons in the 2020/2021 harvest, reinforces the viability of the grain to make swine and poultry rations cheaper, which currently account for about 70% of 80% of the production cost of the two activities. “Embrapa has already shown that husked rice (brown rice), from a nutritional point of view, is perfectly suited to complement or replace corn in animal feed,” says Embrapa Swine and Poultry researcher Jorge Vitor Ludke. For three years now, corn and soybeans have influenced the performance of swine and poultry, according to data from Embrapa Suínos e Aves's Swine and Poultry Intelligence ...