Feeding my pigs

[Blair]

I have 4 York x Hamp crosses weighing around 50 lbs each. The book says that they should get 2 lbs each per day. I feed twice a day and the pigs act ravenous.

Question: not enough feed for them or just pig behaviour?

[Our Little Farm]

Pigs are always hungry. I go by age. 1 month = 1 lb each. 2 months = 2lbs each a day, and so on. PLus mine get scraps, milk etc and are on pasture.

[RedneckPete]

I give them as much food as they can eat. When it's gone I give them more.

It's highly cost effective as I get the food for free. When I was paying for it I took a LOT longer to bring a pig to market weight.

Pete

[HeritagePigs]

The standard maintenance diet is 4 lbs per hundred weight. 6 lbs for newly pregnant and lactating sows. More food just means more lard.

[Lazy J]

Restriction of feed at 50 lb is not a good thing, it will limit the protein growth of the pigs. I'd give them full feed at this stage. If you want to limit their fatness you can do that with limit feeding when the pigs reach 200 lb or so.

Jim

Originally Posted by Blair

I have 4 York x Hamp crosses weighing around 50 lbs each. The book says that they should get 2 lbs each per day. I feed twice a day and the pigs act ravenous.

Question: not enough feed for them or just pig behaviour?

[Rogo]

I figure the critters know more than the humans as to what they need. I free choice feed. My critters are not confined; instead they roam free on the property. They don't gobble down the feed; they nibble feed periodically. The processor compliments me on the carcasses.

[Blair]

Thanks all.

[Our Little Farm]

Originally Posted by Rogo

I figure the critters know more than the humans as to what they need. I free choice feed. My critters are not confined; instead they roam free on the property. They don't gobble down the feed; they nibble feed periodically. The processor compliments me on the carcasses.

We get compliments too but feed according to age.
I do like your way of free choice feeding. What kind of feeder do you use. I may invest in one.

[Rogo]

=== What kind of feeder do you use. ===


I don't use specie specific items. I bought several of these 3 gallon things many years ago



They were sold as automatic waterers for dogs. I use some as automatic waters (Can only do that in the winter. Too hot in the summer.) I took the floats out of others. One is used for feed and another for water for the free roaming poultry.

The pigs use them for feed.

When critters roam free, they're not destructive like those confined. Along with the equine, the critters all drink out of the various waterers around the place. Some are much larger than those black containers.

[Our Little Farm]

I have a metal dog feeder



I was wondering if I should set it up for them, and if they would be able to use it well.

[Our Little Farm]

It holds 50lb of feed.

[HeritagePigs]

My pigs have torn up anything made of sheet metal like your dog feeder. I use a goat creep feeder and plain old troughs.

[highlands]

2 lbs a day at larger sizes. I would not expect that from weaners. Free feed a good balanced ration, be it pasture and dairy or a store bought feed and they should hit their personal optimal growth curve. Do worm them if you have the slightest inclination of worms being an issue. Worms steal nutrients, slow growth, cause anemia, etc.

Cheers

-Walter
Sugar Mountain Farm
Pastured Pigs, Sheep & Kids
in the mountains of Vermont
Read about our on-farm butcher shop project:
http://SugarMtnFarm.com/butchershop
http://SugarMtnFarm.com/csa

[Welshmom]

I have a 4 hole feeder from Nasco that is at least 10 years old. It's always been kept outside, and it's still in use and going strong. Made by Brower. It was a good investment, I'll buy another. They hold about 250 lbs. of feed, which is sure nice to not have to worry about them running out for days, especially if I'm going to be out of town and need to entrust my animals to a realtive or caretaker. It will serve 6 to 8 pigs comfortably.