Suggestions on how much to feed if you wetslop pigs?

[Eye_Mac]

I use a 16% hog feed for regular feeding times, I feed 2-3 times a day and right after each feeding add water to the dry feed for the next feeding. 3% of body weight per day sticks in my mind for some reason but I am probably feeding closer to 4%. Is there an optimal "% of body weight" to feed per day?

I free range my little herd over about 3 acres which is half pasture and half black spruce swamp. I also supplement with household scraps and other assorted things but the supplements are more for variety and not intended to replace commercial feed.

This is my 4th summer raising pigs, I get feeders in the spring and slaughter in October. This year I'm raising 10.

If you've read this far some of the more interesting things pigs really seem to like are coal and mature cattail heads.

Paul

 

[freemotion]

If you are free-ranging and supplementing, feed them what they will clean up in a few minutes. You will know when you are feeding them enough as the tone of their squealing will change a bit, if your ear is sensitive to such things.

Cattails? Hmmm. It is amazing what pigs will eat! We finish ours on acorns from the nearby suburban homeowners who rake them up and are pleased not to have to bag them and haul them away. I don't feed any commercial pellets, just a bit of corn when free stuff is low.

 

[Hillsvale]

we feed roughly 4 pounds a day per mature pig, we have a mixture of feed pellets, corn, soya bean and whole wheat, vegitarian kitchen scraps ad in the fall the windfallen apples (they aren't fit to eat for humans) .... our gilt is getting more than that right now because she has her first litter on her. Ours also free roam in large overgrown pens of a couple of hundred feet.... they aren't overgrown when they are done!

 

[SuburbanFarmChic]

For full sized pigs on pasture we are supplementing with 100lbs roughly of waste food a day. This is divided up amongst 3 adults, 4 five month olds and 6 two month olds. Only pregnant/nursing sows get pellets.

 

[77Herford]

If you are free-ranging and supplementing, feed them what they will clean up in a few minutes. You will know when you are feeding them enough as the tone of their squealing will change a bit, if your ear is sensitive to such things.

Cattails? Hmmm. It is amazing what pigs will eat! We finish ours on acorns from the nearby suburban homeowners who rake them up and are pleased not to have to bag them and haul them away. I don't feed any commercial pellets, just a bit of corn when free stuff is low.

My the Gods bless you. I used that idea and am now getting piles of Acorns and Walnuts. THANKYOU!!

 

[sevenmile]

I use a 16% hog feed for regular feeding times, I feed 2-3 times a day and right after each feeding add water to the dry feed for the next feeding. 3% of body weight per day sticks in my mind for some reason but I am probably feeding closer to 4%. Is there an optimal "% of body weight" to feed per day?

I free range my little herd over about 3 acres which is half pasture and half black spruce swamp. I also supplement with household scraps and other assorted things but the supplements are more for variety and not intended to replace commercial feed.

This is my 4th summer raising pigs, I get feeders in the spring and slaughter in October. This year I'm raising 10.

If you've read this far some of the more interesting things pigs really seem to like are coal and mature cattail heads.

Paul

Sounds like you have a good plan going, with some foraging and scraps to supplement the pelleted feed. I like it!
Prepared feed is designed to completely and efficiently meet a pigs nutritional needs, and so less poundage is needed of it than of the "free" sources of feed. Non-pig people think pigs just "pig out", but over time they actually adjust consumption to meet their nutritional needs (unlike me I admit.... ) For most people using salvaged feeds, a lack of essential amino acids - especially Lysine, can keep the pigs looking for more to eat.


I didn't follow your comment on adding water. Were you adding water to the last bit of feed in the trough until the next feeding, or are you soaking the next batch of feed?

blr

 

[Ms. Research]

From New Jersey

Congratulations on your 4 years of success pig farming. As with cattle, I respect people who raise pigs and will that to experts. It must be very rewarding raising this very intelligent animal that is REALLY good tasting. Wishing you success with your new 10. Hope you post your progress.


FreeMotion: Wished you lived closer. Have a TON of acorns and and definitely agree: " nearby suburban homeowners who rake them up and are pleased not to have to bag them and haul them away."

 

[freemotion]

If you give your pigs a wide variety of foods, lysine won't be an issue. A quick search of foods high in lysine will re-assure you. Or get you to add more variety to your pigs' diet. I've found that the biggest issue is fat, and if I add saved cooking fat to their meals when I have it, this helps, as does whole milk and eggs, which I give them less often. Or a badly failed cheese.....but most failed cheeses are still cheese, just not what the recipe intended.

 

[Eye_Mac]

@ sevenmile

the feed for the next feeding time is put in 5 gallon pails. 7-10 lbs dry feed per pail and then I fill it up with water so the feed soaks in water 8-12 hours prior to feeding them. It's only really workable for a small scale operation but the theory is that the water the feed soaks up equals less predigesting. Perhaps I'm just making more work for myself but it's been working for me.

Eye_Mac

 

[freemotion]

Soaking until it bubbles a bit and sours is even better for pigs. 2-3 days, depending on temperature.