FEED grain buyers in the Philippines and Thailand learned the compelling benefits of using Australian feed grains for swine following two well-attended AEGIC webinars last week.
The webinars, presented in conjunction with Austrade, featured experienced Australian feed nutrition expert Tony Edwards as keynote speaker.
The Philippines event on February 2 attracted 150 representatives of the grain and animal feed industry, while more than 70 industry delegates took part in the Thailand webinar on February 3.
Mr Edwards gave a persuasive case for incorporating alternative Australian grains into pig feed diets.
AEGIC barley markets manager Mary Raynes led the webinars and presented the latest updates on the Australian grains industry, and the production and availability of Australian feed grains.
Mr Edwards then explored the advantages of using these grains for pig feed, including the technical aspects of feed formulations and nutrition.
A robust panel discussion in each webinar featured conversations guided by feed experts from the Philippines and Thailand.
AEGIC chief executive officer Richard Simonaitis, who chaired the panel discussion sessions, said there was great interest in the potential of Australian grains for swine feed.
"The key message for our friends in the Philippines and Thailand is that there are no prescriptive ingredients in pig diets," Mr Simonaitis said.
"Pigs are very adaptable and can use a variety of feed grains, and a great option is to use high-quality Australian grains such as barley, wheat and sorghum.
"This information was really well received by the webinar attendees and there were some great discussions about the practical aspects of incorporating Australian feed grains into swine diets."
Mr Simonaitis said the webinars were a continuation of AEGIC's push to stimulate demand for Australian feed grains in South East Asia.
"Over the past several years we've been engaging with feed grain buyers in a number of South East Asian countries to help them understand the advantages of Australian grains for feed," he said.
"We will continue to follow up with attendees and ensure they get further support and information about how to use Australian grains."
