ARTICLE FEED & ADDITIVE MAGAZINE November 2024 7 dict how much room for pig production will remain in The Netherlands. Developments in society and politics are unclear at the moment, but in my opinion pig production in closed barns, with air washers, does not impose a threat to air quality in the environment. Our advanced swine sector is very capable of producing pigs in a sustainable, animal and environmental friendly manner. Another issue is the import of nutrients from other parts of the world into Europe. This leads to an environmental burden that largely might be solved by allowing export of swine manure to for example Eastern Europe. In the eastern part of Germany, there is a need for manure to sustain soil fertility. EXPANDING A LARGE DATABASE SFR has developed a large database containing nutritional composition of many raw materials. We are continuously expanding this database, to include all ingredients that are used in animal nutrition to include all ingredients that are used in animal nutrition by customers of SFR. These data help us to provide custom-made advice for our clients in Europe and abroad. We actively collect data on feed materials from various parts of the world. Rice by-products, e.g., are widely available in Asian countries, so we need to collect nutritional data on such commodities to accommodate the questions we receive from our customers in that part of the world. CALCULATION TOOLS BASED ON SOLID AND EXTENSIVE RESEARCH The MySFR tool is developed to provide insight to nutritionists. MySFR enables nutritionists to implement the database into their own formulation software. The software tool helps us as consultants to discuss options and consequences of choices in feed formulation. Our data and calculation tools are based on solid and extensive research, and therefore yield predictable outcomes for pig farmers. As a consultant, I use the tool to evaluate different choices in feed formulation. Performing these calculations together with the nutritionist, and discussing the effects and consequences eventually brings us to a tailor-made advice. Also, it gives me valuable insights in market developments. Discussing these insights with the researchers at SFR and with our customers helps us to focus our research and develop new products and services for our customers. Extensive knowledge of raw materials is the starting point; coupling this to nutritional requirement of the animals results in the best advice for SFR clients.
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