Hog grower and goats? is this a problem...

Caitlin Eli · #1 10/27/14, 05:14 PM

We run our pigs and dairy goats together most of the time and only remove the does when they have kids. We feed the pigs a lot of hog finisher (grower), which looks like powdered corn. and im pretty sure the goats eat enough of it that it could effect them. Is it going to hurt the goats or cause problems with pregnancies if they eat the pig food?
the tag ingredients are : grain by-products, plant protein, roughage products, salt, calcium carbonate, dicalcalcium phosphate, ethylenediamine dihydriodide, ferrous sulfate, iron oxide, manganous oxide, copper sulfate, cobalt carbonate, magnesium oxide, zinc oxide, vit. a, d-activated animal sterol (D3), vegetableand animal fat (preserved with BHT), dried cane molasses, natural and artificial flavors, calcium iodate, potassium chloride.
crude protein - min. 13.20%
lysine - min. .60%
crude fat - min. 2.50%
crude fiber - max 10%
calcium - min. .70% max 1.20%
phosphorous - min. .40%
salt - min. .45% max .95%
selenium - min. .15%
zinc - min. .50%

Clovers_Clan · #2 10/27/14, 06:25 PM

If you cannot control intake, it definitely will be a problem. Its a concentrate sweet feed with molasses and corn, too much of that type feed will induce metabolic problems especially in pregnant does.

Another concern with feeding the pigs and goats together is that if the pigs feel they are competing with the goats during feeding time they can and will bite. Its not just kids that can fall prey. An adult goat is no match for a full grown pig. They're fine on pasture together but best fed separately.

Clovers_Clan · #3 10/27/14, 06:37 PM

BTW the logistics of separating the species can be easily overcome by capitalizing on a goat's ability to reach higher. Put the goat's feed out first in the fence type feeders(most sanitary) while they're busy get the pigs attention to lead them to their trough. and close the gate until everyone is finished. Pigs are extremely smart and goats are savvy and like routine. They'll be trained in no time.

Frosted Mini's · #4 10/27/14, 10:10 PM

You don't want the goats eating a lot of concentrate/grain type feeds. It is hard on their rumens. This goes for any goats pet, pregnant, milking or otherwise. I would move the hogs or try to devise some kind of pen that only pigs can get in but not goats (good luck with that). Besides, the pigs could eventually think the goats look tasty and start munching on them-not good. Especially if say there is a sick or weak goat.

msscamp · #5 10/27/14, 11:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Caitlin Eli

Is it going to hurt the goats or cause problems with pregnancies if they eat the pig food?

The smaller the particles of feed, the faster the goats can scarf it down, and the higher the chances of ending up with a number of cases of acidosis which can easily kill your goats. Separate them.

**mygoat** · #6 10/28/14, 11:22 AM

Animal fat in pig food could also be ruminant source, and it is illegal to feed ruminants animal parts from other ruminants.

Access to lots of rapidly fermented foods like you described CAN be bad for acidosis and altered rumen fermentation that can lead to imbalances in normal flora and thus metabolic diseases (ketosis, hypocalcemia, Polio) as well as infections with things like E. coli, and Clostridium (entero). High grain or sugary diets are bad enough, but fine ground grain is even worse because yes they can take more if it in, but it also has very HIGH surface area - so it is broken down extremely rapidly and that is NOT a good thing.

This is especially increased in young animals transitioning, if you will have young animals in with the pig feed eventually. What it will depend on is regularity, other food, how much, etc. However, this feed can drastically affect any stage animal. The ideal rumen does not fluctuate hardly at all, and a 'gorging' episode should always be avoided. We can avoid some of that via management, but some if it is effected by the weather, sickness/health etc and day to day differences that we may not think of or be able to control. For example, for gut stability the animals should always be taking in a majority of a base forage, quality and quantity dependent upon the lifestage of the animal in question. If you feed hay outside like I do, and the goats don't want to go outside because it's super cold or raining, then their feed intake that day is likely to be lower in forage than ideal and higher in grain - by percentage intake that day. That is a fluctuation. A doe that doesn't eat much when she is in heat may gorge herself as she's going out of heat - that's a fluctuation. I"m sure you can think of many more that we cannot necessarily manage (bullying/competition, does in labor, bucks in rut and wanting to pace etc). While issues in those situations are more rare, that may be the main reason we DO see people with good management having issues with Polio or Entero problems - we cannot manage to avoid every incident, unfortunately. But, what we CAN manage better, we ought to adopt IMO, as every management change that reduces incidence of disease and/or lowers my work load is ideal.

On top of all that, pigs with goats or other small animals is not suggested by any pig raisers I know. Pigs will kill other animals and eat them. Not just baby goats. It's a risk I would not take for many reasons.

Pony · #7 10/31/14, 01:51 PM

Feed issues aside, I'd be a wee bit nervous running pigs together with anything else they might consider food.