# Feeding Practices ~ Pigs



## elevan (Jul 11, 2013)

It seems that if you ask 100 different farmers you'll get a 100 different answers on just about every subject and this subject is really no different.

So let's run a thread about our different feeding programs so that we can learn from each other's methods.  

Welcome to all different methods of feeding: _natural, homeopathic, commercial, custom, organic, etc._

*Be sure to include what state / country / region that you are in.

What specifically are you feeding?  
What are you adding to supplement it?  
And how does your feeding program change seasonally?*



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_No one is right or wrong on this thread - they are just true to their farm.  This is a learn / share thread.  

Learning requires questions and answers as well.  So if you need clarification on someone's post please ask a question of them so everyone else can learn too.

This thread is open to civilized debate.  As long as you don't state that you believe someone's feeding practices are harmful or outright wrong debating is good.

Any statements suggesting a practice is outright wrong or implied as harmful will result in you being reported._

Thank you for participating


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## elevan (Jul 11, 2013)

Central Ohio / USA

Pig type:
Adult Pot Belly (outside)

Feeding:
Pig Pellets
Kitchen Scraps

Supplements:
None

Seasonal Changes:
None


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## AshleyFishy (Jul 11, 2013)

Eastern Texas/ USA

Pig type:
Adult Duroc/Hampshire sow
Weanling Duroc/Yorkshire gilt
Adult mini potbelly boar
Obese rescue potbelly boar (on a diet)

Feeding:
16% Pig pellets
20% cattle range cubes as treats
Kitchen scraps
Pasture
Clabbered milk (when available)
Whole corn
Hay

Supplements:
Coconut or Corn oil

Seasonal Changes:
Winter: Free choice hay is given to all pigs. The sow and any feeder pigs are given free choice whole corn in addition to their normal ration.


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## Hollow Point (Jul 11, 2013)

SW Louisiana/USA

Four blue butt sows
One Yorkshire boar
One Duroc show gilt
Three 3 month old shoats for butcher.

Rice bran, rough rice soaked in water, sweet potatoes (when in season),  table scraps


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## Allison (Jul 11, 2013)

SE Manitoba, Canada

2 tamworth feeders

16% pig feed from local guy (wheat, barley,oats)
surplus milk when I can get
pasture


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## MGF (Apr 14, 2014)

Just got two show Berkshires for my boys 4-H projects.
Central MD

Free choice 803 SS pellets for the next two weeks then we will transfer them to 403 SS pellets. Don't ask me to explain, this is what the breeder (very experienced farmer who sells to 4-H kids all over our area).

We are just learning, hence me joining here.


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## big mami (May 21, 2014)

Could someone help me figure out if we need to keep feeding pellets or not?  We're new to pigs, and the two 3-month-old Gloucestershire Old Spots are on 2 acres of pasture and get pellets as well as a slop bucket daily.  I say we can stop the pellets so that they'll eat more pasture; my husband says we have to feed them because they're not eating much of the pasture.  Who is right?


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## M.L. McKnight (May 22, 2014)

big mami said:


> Could someone help me figure out if we need to keep feeding pellets or not?  We're new to pigs, and the two 3-month-old Gloucestershire Old Spots are on 2 acres of pasture and get pellets as well as a slop bucket daily.  I say we can stop the pellets so that they'll eat more pasture; my husband says we have to feed them because they're not eating much of the pasture.  Who is right?



Pigs are very smart critters, IF they can get all of the feed they need put in front of them then they won't go out looking for more. At first I mixed X amount of oats and X amount of wheat to X amount of DDG and X amount of soybean meal and X amount of cracked corn to make feed for my hogs, in addition to having them out on pasture. As I read more about the various types of forage, I found that there were tons of nutrients out in those fields that they were just laying in. I was losing money on that feed mix because they weren't supplementing it with fresh green stuff and grubs! I stopped using that feed and began using a 14% All Stock mixed with two parts cracked corn, this dropped their daily caloric intake from their feed immensely.  They grunted at first but by the end of that first day they realized that they could get to liking the forage they had all around them. 
I keep my hogs on pasture, toss good field hay and feed them a little of the pellet/corn mixture. I save my vegetable and fruit scraps, eggshells and old cooking oil and boil it, this gets added to their feed which adds nutrients, swells their feed and is something that they really like. IF you raise dozens or hundreds of head then this makes no sense to devote that much of your time to do, but I raise quality breeding stock and a few litters of feeders from my small herd so I have the luxury to spoiling my hogs a bit more than the average bear.
What type of forage do you have in your pasture? I have volunteer trees that come up, wild plants, legumes and various grasses. I bush hog my pasture every few months and rake everything up in a big pile; this is good for the fields, spreads the manure nicely, allows the grasses to grow back thicker and smother out the volunteer trees and by raking everything into a big pile it gives the pigs something to munch on and play in for a few days until the grasses start to grow back nicely.

"You can butter the left side of a piece of toast or the right side, the only thing that matters is that the toast ends up buttered." That might sound silly but its something an old timer told me to remember when having a disagreement.


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## Rachel Kilburn (Jul 22, 2014)

Well I'm kind of new to this pig raising thing but what I've been feeding mine is
Poulin Pig pellets mixed with alfalfa pellets and barely, they are on pasture as well but since they have torn up most of the space it is time to move them.


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## SillyChicken (Dec 31, 2014)

Michigan
pot bellies

Mini pig youth
table scraps
yogurt

pasture


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## jaasp (Feb 24, 2015)

Idaho
Berkshire/Hamp crosses x 4 adults (and littles!)

I feed 90% barley fodder that I sprout myself, the rest is table scraps/leftover veggies from garden/fruit drops/eggs

The fodder runs about 22-24% protein, healthy animals, and they don't root in their pen... so I believe they are full and happy. I have built a dedicated fodder room over the years of saving money by sprouting my own feed. It's low-labor and easy. Carcass weight at 7-8 months has been between 230 and 280 but nice a lean meat, well marbled. Excellent bacon and loins, can't believe how tender they are! Oh, my cost per pound of meat is around $.08 to produce.


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## Tracker (Jun 2, 2016)

Does anybody feed only once a day? 

2 x Black Giant/Hampshire x
bout 60-70 lbs/almost 5 months old
30 x 80 pen. They've rooted everything that was edible in the pen. 
Feeding a local milled livestock blend 16% - smells like sorghum/molasses with a small amount of cracked corn. I've wanted to supplement with hay, but we've had a bad run of rain and hay is in short supply.


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## babsbag (Jun 2, 2016)

I only fed my pigs once a day but they got A LOT of food in that feeding. I was collecting lunch scraps from a local school so they got those every night and some pig grower pellets from a local mill. Also any milk, eggs (cooked), produce, or any other scraps I had for them.


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## misfitmorgan (Aug 23, 2016)

Northern Michigan

1 Duroc
The rest are all mix Hampshire, Berkshire, Hereford and a tiny bit of LBP

For feeders
We feed 5# per head per day of 18% Pig and Sow runs us $14.25/hundred# for 3 months
Then we switch to 16% Chop which runs us $10.50/hundred# for 3 months
Ends up costing us $111.38 per pig to get them to 6 months old which comes out to  0.40/# live weight and 0.58/# hang weight.

For Breeders
We feed 5# per head per day of 18% Pig and Sow runs us $14.25/hundred#
Ends up costing us $128.25 per pig to get them to 6 months old, then they are bred.

We also supplement with
shell corn
oats
wheat
powdered milk
canned veggies/fruit
goat milk
eggs
garden scraps
fallen apples
peanut butter
cereal
hay
pasture

The only thing we pay for on that list is shell corn and oats. Really we could probly feed then less pig&sow/chop because of the extra but for breeders esp we want to make sure they are getting anything we are missing.

This year we planted corn and oats which we will take to the mill and have made into pig&sow at quite a good discount.


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## Mikethepigman (Dec 1, 2016)

NW Ohio wood county
Sow's/gilts/ boar/ butcher pigs/
Duroc x/ Yorkshire x/ Berkshire x/ Hampshire x
Everyone gets the same feed...
The pigs in the breeding program get ration amount as I want them to live and not get stupid huge fast lol
Piglets, even if on momma, get unlimited amounts.
Butcher pigs get unlimited amounts.form piglets to butcher weight.


The feed I use is two parts.
Corn and Kent feed lean grower.
400-100 ratio. 400lbs.corn to 100lbs. Lean grower.

I call the mill and get it all ground up 1000 lbs. at a time.

By far the best feed I've seen and the best piglets I've ever raised. plus it's a feed I can tell ppl about. The other mill I was going to, on the ticket had the numbers 2586... And 50 lbs. of it... They don't know what is, I dont know what it is. They claim it's a pig supplement... well the ticket already had the supplement on it. Any rate I use Kent feed as it's been great and kept more money in my pocket. It cost around 140$ for half ton of feed, it takes 500 lbs to feed a piglet to butcher weight. This all comes in handy when breeding and selling butcher ready pigs.

Every year around halloween I find pumpkin patches and talk to the owners and clean up the leftover pumpkins. Pigs love it!!


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## Latestarter (Dec 1, 2016)

Mikethepigman said:


> ...Corn and Kent feed lean grower.
> 400-100 ratio. 400lbs.corn to 100lbs. Corn...


Corn and corn? Shouldn't there be two different components? Just curious, as I don't have pigs (yet)...


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## Mikethepigman (Dec 1, 2016)

Oh haha I for to put the 400lbs corn to 100 lbs lean grower. Got excited to be giving my farm ideas and practices. Sorry about that.


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## Latestarter (Dec 1, 2016)

No apologies required! It happens to us all   Just so you know, you can go back and edit any of your posts. There's an "Edit" button at the bottom. if you click it it will open the post and you can correct and then re-post it.


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## Mikethepigman (Dec 1, 2016)

Oh man sweet. Definitely gonna fix that one lol.


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## NH homesteader (Dec 1, 2016)

@Mikethepigman are Kent and Blue Seal the same? I've seen the name on Blue Seal bags before... 

Anyhow right now we have three little pigs.  One for the freezer who is GOS/Duroc and two gilts for breeding that are GOS/Duroc/Chester White.  We feed Poulin 16%. I prefer Blue Seal but we have a good deal on bulk feed so we go with it.  This feed has corn in it already. 

We also feed whey when I make cheese,  extra eggs from the chickens,  and scraps (fruit and veggies only)  as well as produce from the garden seasonally.  In winter they get tons of hay for sleeping in/eating. Lots of pumpkins in the fall!


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## Mikethepigman (Dec 1, 2016)

@NH homesteader , not 100% on if they are the same. However 16% is good. That's about the same percent as what I feed. I have sold many piglets to folks who want to raise they meat and sometimes they've done it before. I ALWAYS mention feed to educate and hopefully save someone else some money. Idk how many times I've heard ppl say that last year they just buy the pellets from TSC or other feed store. At $13-$16 a 50# bag that's expensive! I choose Kent over Purina and kalabock feeds. In my area those are my options and kent is noticeable better. In your neck of the woods it may vary. If your feed is doing what you want and it's cheaper... Then definitely stick with it. I save only $40 per ton on feed doing it my way and also using a different mill. But after 12 ton plus a year, I'll take that $40 lol. I have four mills to choose from,all with in 20 mins.However I did not discover this feed mix. A guy I worked with years back was talking about pig raising and that's his mix. Since then I've been to i dont even know how many hog farms, talked to dozens of ppl and the proof is in the hog. My buddies hogs from birth to butcher were the nicest and healthiest pigs I've seen. He is small, with one boar and four or five sow's maybe a gilt or two to breed. My best advice on feed is to call a mill, if you have one around the area and ask, what lean grower they have for pigs, whats the cost to grind up 400# corn and 100# lean grower, what's the end % protein. Then compare 500# of that in a pen with two pigs and see if you notice any difference, in the two different pens of pigs and the Ol pocket book. There is no wrong way to feed a pig. Only thing is how fast you can grow them, the quality of meat/fat content and of course the pocket book. You can grow a pig just on corn, figure on it taking a few extra months tho. I choose my feed based on what I've seen, and I can feed it to allllllllll my pigs. Some mills will ask how many pigs and what weights. Then they will sell you on their feed ratio feeding schedule, example, one mill says it's $94 for 500# feed for pigs up to 90lbs. Then it's $87 for 500# for pigs from 90lbs to 160lbs and finally $85 for 500# for pigs from 160 lbs to finish weight, 220-250lbs. That's alot of headache and trying to figure out the weights and whatnots. Farming is spouse to be simple and fun... Be glad answer any other questions.


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## NH homesteader (Dec 2, 2016)

We pay $50 for a 55 gallon drum of feed from a local guy with a silo.  Not sure where there is a feed mill around here.  Hopefully we will get our own  silo before too long.  All our friends who raise pigs buy the same feed so we can sell a bunch too.


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## Mikethepigman (Dec 2, 2016)

It might be worth while to check Craigslist and see if you find a silo. I look for ppl getting out of framing and see what all they wanna get rid of. I got my 2 1/2 ton silo for $50, traded a goat to a guy and he gave me a new boot and made a sliding latch for it. All together I prolly have around $100 in it after time and gas and the goat. Sounds like you could get feed and sell enuff to raise your pigs for free. That would awesome!!


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## NH homesteader (Dec 2, 2016)

Oh I check  all the time but we are looking at more like $1,000+ around here.  Not much is cheap in New England!


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## Mikethepigman (Dec 2, 2016)

You'd almost be better off to get a small trailer and build something outta wood on in so you could haul more at a time or something. That's a bummer everything is that high up there, I can get two 4-6 ton silos for $300. Just never called the guy back, I seen they was still there at his house. I shoulda just got em and resold them for profit but I've more irons than fire at the moment and winter is just around corner. Heck it's be almost worth the gas and weekend to travel for one.


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## NH homesteader (Dec 2, 2016)

Well it's $50 delivered to our house.  Our friend makes a run every week. I can't complain! 

Also no one will deliver anything less than 3 tons where we live. Which limits us.


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## Mikethepigman (Dec 2, 2016)

Ah I c. Sounds like it's working for ya lol


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## misfitmorgan (Dec 5, 2016)

NH homesteader said:


> Well it's $50 delivered to our house.  Our friend makes a run every week. I can't complain!
> 
> Also no one will deliver anything less than 3 tons where we live. Which limits us.



Thought this might be helpful.

Assuming you are buying a mix of corn/sy/beans/wheat it should be 55-60lbs per bushel, a 55 gallon drum holds about 6 bushels meaning your paying $50 for approx 330-360lbs of feed, which comes out to  $13.89-15.15 per 100lbs of feed. I would guess your probly closer to the $13.89 end of the scale...so your not doing to bad on feed costs i wouldnt think. Breaking your costs down to the per 100lbs or per 50lbs is an easy way to compare other feed sources. Way easier to say well $13/100lbs vs $7/50lbs....then $50/55 gallon drum vs $7/50lbs.

Of course you also have that handy delivery person


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## NH homesteader (Dec 5, 2016)

Thanks 

If we buy feed by the bag at the local feed store we have to pay $15/50 lbs (give or take,  it fluctuates) plus it's a half hour drive each way,  which adds up.  Tractor Supply is even more expensive than that.


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## misfitmorgan (Dec 5, 2016)

The cheapest pig feed TSC sells here is $11.99/50lbs. As i mentioned before we get out pig feed for $14.25/100lbs so $7.13/50lbs, so much cheaper from the mill for us. If you are ok mentioning where you live, we could probly source a feed mill for you i know NH does have them. Alternatively you could ask your local Ag extension office where the closest feed mills to you would be, they should know. If you dont like either of those two options you could always ask a few farmers where the closest feed mill is, if they grow any row crops they should know.


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## NH homesteader (Dec 5, 2016)

Hmm they must be hiding,  lol.  I'm near Lebanon NH and White River Junction,  VT


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## NH homesteader (Dec 5, 2016)

If anyone cares,  Kent bought Blue Seal I guess.  Blue Seal is (or was)  local to New England.  Not sure if it is anymore.  I really do like their feed though.


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