Integrating camelina into organic pig production - Impact on growth performance of pigs, costs, and returns

Authors: LI, YUZHI - University Of Minnesota; LAZARUS, WILLIAM - University Of Minnesota; REESE, CURT - University Of Minnesota; HILBRANDS, ADRIENNE - University Of Minnesota; COX, R - University Of Minnesota; FORCELLA, FRANK - Retired ARS Employee; Gesch, Russell - Russ; JOHNSTON, LEE - University Of Minnesota

Submitted to: Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/30/2021
Publication Date: 12/20/2021
Citation: Li, Y.Z., Lazarus, W.F., Reese, C., Hilbrands, A.M., Cox, R.B., Forcella, F., Gesch, R.W., Johnston, L.J. 2021. Integrating camelina into organic pig production - Impact on growth performance of pigs, costs, and returns. Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems. 5. Article 759721. https://doi.org/10.3389/fsufs.2021.759721.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fsufs.2021.759721

Interpretive Summary: Organic agriculture is becoming more popular in the U.S. Winter camelina is a new oilseed crop being developed that may fit well in organic production systems and used for feeding organically raised pigs. Winter camelina was grown organically as either a monocrop or relay-cropped with soybean. Oil from the camelina seed that was harvested was extracted at a nearby facility in North Dakota and the seed meal remaining was used to supplement diets of organic pigs. Supplementing 10% camelina seed meal into the diet of pigs reduced their final market weight by about 14 pounds compared with pigs fed a control diet of corn and soybean meal. However, feeding camelina did not reduce feeding efficiency or pork quality. Profitability of feeding camelina to pigs would depend on the marketing of camelina oil, which would require a market price of about $3.44 per pound or about $26 per gallon of oil. This information will benefit organic crop and hog producers interested in trying camelina in their production systems. It also benefits other researchers, educators, oil producers, and the specialty oilseed industry that are developing camelina as an alternative crop for the U.S.

Technical Abstract: The viability of integrating the oilseed crop, camelina, into organic pig production was evaluated. Winter camelina was grown organically in relay with soybeans. Camelina press-cake (CPC) was supplemented in diets fed to pigs raised under near-organic standards. Camelina yield in monocrop and in relay was 1,394 and 684 kg ha-1, respectively. Supplementing 10% CPC in diets reduced ADFI, ADG, final weight, carcass weight, and dressing percent of pigs, but did not affect feed efficiency, belly firmness or pork quality. Profitability of growing camelina and feeding CPC to pigs depends on marketing the camelina oil for $7.59 kg-1 or more.