
Last week in Taipei, Taiwan, the U.S. Grains Council (USGC) hosted its third annual Symposium on Pig Genetic Improvement and Ultrasonic Technology & Forum for Animal Nutrition. This event, pivotal for promoting U.S. distiller’s dried grains with solubles (DDGS) among Taiwan's swine industry, underscores Taiwan's status as the 10th largest global market for U.S. DDGS.
Michael Lu, USGC Director in Taiwan, highlighted the challenges and opportunities in the market, noting the prevalent use of DDGS in major Taiwanese feed mills at a three-percent inclusion rate. Despite stiff competition from other feed ingredients and logistical issues like limited storage, Lu pointed out the potential for significantly increasing U.S. DDGS uptake in Taiwan, potentially creating a 500-thousand-metric-ton market for U.S. producers.
The symposium, a collaborative effort with the Chinese Culture University Department of Animal Science since 2022, drew over 100 attendees from diverse sectors, including agriculture, academia, and government. This year’s event featured key presentations from Dr. Crystal Levesque of the University of South Dakota and Luiz Storino from Archer Daniels Midland, who discussed the advantages of incorporating higher percentages of DDGS and corn fermented protein (CFP) into swine diets.
Discussions at the symposium also covered the latest corn feeding trial results, which demonstrated the superior performance of U.S. corn, and the sustainable practices involved in its cultivation and the production of corn co-products.
Lu emphasized the council's ongoing commitment to working directly with Taiwanese feed mill nutritionists, hog producers, and dairy farmers. This strategy not only aims to enhance their products but also to boost sales for U.S. DDGS and other corn co-products. By consistently hosting the event, the USGC fosters trust and loyalty towards U.S. agriculture, thereby establishing a stable foundation for future market expansion in Taiwan.