Feeder pig diet.

[firebob]

We ended up with 100 weaned pigs to feed out this year. It's our first time with more than 2 pigs. They will be kept indoors on a large wood shaving type bedding.

There currently about 2 months old. Were feeding them 1/6 dry brewers grain, 1/3 silage, 1/3 cheap hay, and 1/6 chopped potatoes. I don't want to feed them any grain and I'm down to about 5 cases of potato seconds I need to get rid of.

We have plenty of drums of silage, cheap hay, and about 3,500 pounds of ground apple silage. I can get "used bread" cheap, but it's a lot of work. I know they don't eat most green chop.

What would you feed them and what mix?

 

[frustratedearthmother]

I've had access to tons of fruits/veggies and haven't found many that the pigs don't like. Onions are only so-so in their book, but they love carrots, turnips, cabbage, apples, grapes, bananas and potatoes like you mentioned. They also love dairy and eggs if you have a source. Good luck!

 

[firebob]

I don't have a good cheap source of veggies and wish I did. I truly don't want the pigs and wanted another round of lambs. As I have never raised a group of pigs and from what I have read there easy to raise.

 

[Baymule]

100 feeder pigs? Wow that’s a lot! Do you have their space divided so you can switch them to one side while you clean the other side? I don’t think I would want to wade through 100 hogs. Heck, I wouldn’t want to wade through 10 hogs. LOL

Some grocery stores will give you the bad vegetables, but you have to go every day.

Would you be able to raise anything for them?

 

[firebob]

Yes 100 feeder pigs. They have 2,000 sq' of bedding pack. Studies show 10 sq' per pig, so I'm running them on the light side. I'm still adding to the pack trying to get it to 8" so I can till it daily and top off the wet spots. Yes I do have a smaller lot I can hold them in for short amounts of time.

My farm is set up to do green feed as I mostly raise lambs. I make silage in 55 gallon drums and already started filling drums. The pigs are loving the silage. Yes I can turn about anything into silage in drums.

The amount of paperwork needed to get grocery store left overs is insane. All the ones around me have a weighting list from what I'm told and I don't want to play that game at this point. It's not something I want to get into unless we just go to pigs.

I have 5 acres of turnips planted for them. I staggered the planting by a week every acre. In about 2 weeks we will start thinning and feeding them. If we end up with to many I'll grind and make them into silage. I know I'll have to grind or chop the larger ones. I plan on planting a second round of turnips unless I can come up with something else to plant.

 

[Beekissed]

I think it's GREAT that you are feeding alternatives to grain feeding! I was wondering if you could rotate your pigs through your turnips and let them harvest them for you, then plant other crops behind their rotation each time. Could give them a break from being indoors and get them out on some soil.

Maybe alfalfa cubes and/or pellets also? Seem pretty cheap compared to other feeds.

 

[Grant]

Feeder pigs require a high protein diet, especially high in lysine. I don’t see a great protein source in there. 100 pigs in an indoor facility will require a GOOD ventilation system to control both odor and ammonia. 100 40 lb pigs doesn’t seem like much. When they are 200+ it’s a lot of animals in a small space.

 

[Beekissed]

Feeder pigs require a high protein diet, especially high in lysine. I don’t see a great protein source in there. 100 pigs in an indoor facility will require a GOOD ventilation system to control both odor and ammonia. 100 40 lb pigs doesn’t seem like much. When they are 200+ it’s a lot of animals in a small space.

SBGs are very high in protein and lysine, as is silage, so it could be that part of the diet will suffice for those nutritive needs.

 

[firebob]

My farming system is set up around the manure / nutrients recycle system. I do not put animals outside. Yes I do a different type of framing.
I'm all ears on what to plant after turnips that grow fast.
I'm not into buying any feed.

Yes I have good ventilation. I plan on replacing the bedding at about 175 pounds. I have been working with someone that raises pigs the same way I am and have gotten a lot of info.
I know my feed is not ideal for a commercial system, but I'm not raising them for commercial slaughter. I'm marketing more for direct sale home slaughter.

 

[Beekissed]

My farming system is set up around the manure / nutrients recycle system. I do not put animals outside. Yes I do a different type of framing.
I'm all ears on what to plant after turnips that grow fast.
I'm not into buying any feed.

Yes I have good ventilation. I plan on replacing the bedding at about 175 pounds. I have been working with someone that raises pigs the same way I am and have gotten a lot of info.
I know my feed is not ideal for a commercial system, but I'm not raising them for commercial slaughter. I'm marketing more for direct sale home slaughter.

Why not plant something a little more diverse....turnips along with other greens, sunflowers, corn, etc. and let them graze that off and root out the turnips? They don't have to reach full growth before the pigs graze through, as long as they are big enough to provide sufficient nutrition.

I'm curious as to why you don't want to put animals outside? The vit. D is pretty important to their health, not to mention fresh soils and air.