livestock : keeping pigs
“ Each pig is different ; some breeds reach the required weight quicker and on less food than others .”
Meal Must not be fed dry . Powdery flakes that once mixed with water will form a palatable mash . However , it can encourage pigs to gulp their food , and perhaps choke . Ideal for sick pigs or those who have lost their appetite . Can encourage gulping and rushing of food , so not ideal . Trying mixing with molasses to make it even more attractive .
The amount you feed very much depends on your pig and its circumstances . Each pig is different ; some breeds reach the required weight quicker and on less food than others . Show animals will require that little bit extra again , as will pigs kept outside in winter or lactating sows .
A good starting point is around 0.5kg -1kg for 8 week old weaners up to approximately 12 weeks . Thereafter increase by approximately 0.25kg per month until the pigs are ready to go for slaughter .
Dry sows and boars should receive approximately 3 kg a day .
Lactating sows can produce more than 10kg of milk a day . What she is fed does depend very much on the size of the litter , but you should be looking at least 6-8kg a day , if not more depending on her litter . Watch her condition carefully and if she looks as if she is losing weight , increase the amount accordingly .
The outline below will give you some idea as to the condition your pigs are in .
CONDITION Emaciated Thin
Ideal
Fat
Obese
DEFINITION Bones clearly visible
Bones can be felt without pressure when the palm of the hand is laid flat on skin
Bones can be felt only with firm pressure when the palm of the hand is laid flat on skin
Bones can be felt only when fingertips are pressed into the skin
No bones felt
Do not be tempted to feed catering waste ; this is illegal in the UK due to the possibility of spreading viruses and bacteria which might result in diseases such as Foot and Mouth . It is worth checking on the Defra website from time to time for changes in what you can and cannot feed your pigs .
Fruit and vegetables straight from a vegetable market or your garden however will be much appreciated and should be given as often as possible to supplement the pig ’ s usual food .
However , do not try and substitute vegetables and fruit for proper pig food , your pig will lose condition and if it ’ s growing , the weight gain will take that much longer .
As you gain more experience with pigs , you may want to mix your own food . There is no doubt that feeding in this way is a cheaper way of feeding and many of the top breeders would not feed in any other way . However , mixing your own feed must be undertaken with caution . Unlike specialised companies who have the technology and the expertise to mix an absolutely balanced feed , you will be doing your mixing using a lot of guesswork , especially in the early days .
Before embarking on feeding in this way , it is worth researching the different foods and their nutritional and feeding characteristics and of course taking advice from other breeders that feed in this way . Depending on what you are trying to achieve , base foods that are often used in home mixed food include amongst others , Barley meal , flaked maize , wheat meal , fishmeal , soya meal , minerals , the most important being Calcium , Sodium and Phosphorous and cod liver oil
Do not worry if you get it wrong with your first pigs and they are too fat . It really is a case of trial and error .
Traditional breeds tend to lay down back fat easier than commercial breeds ; therefore a close eye should be kept on the weight . If allowed to get too fat , sows are less likely to conceive and if growers get to fat , you will get back in the meat , basically what you have put in . In other words , the meat will be too fatty .
Getting it right can be trial and error , so don ’ t worry if your first pigs are too fat .