Amount of feed

[bstuart29]

This is my first time raising pigs so am not a expert on the amount of feed to give them. is there a general rule on how much to feed them per day, mine just don't seem to be gaining weight as fast as they should so maybe I'm not feeding them enough. How much do others feed theirs? By feed I mean bag feed because mine are in a stall in the barn, they get scraps, weeds and other things from the garden but mostly the grain I buy.

[linn]

This depends on how big your pigs are. There should be instructions on the tag of the feed sack on how much to give each pig. We feed our hogs surplus milk along with their regular feed. Here is a link with more info.

http://www.accidentalsmallholder.net.../pigs/feeding/

[bstuart29]

Originally Posted by linn

This depends on how big your pigs are. There should be instructions on the tag of the feed sack on how much to give each pig. We feed our hogs surplus milk along with their regular feed. Here is a link with more info.

http://www.accidentalsmallholder.net.../pigs/feeding/

Thanks Linn I will check it out

[stifflej]

I have a home made feeder that I just dump a 100lb bag into when they empty it. I also feed yard, garden, orchard and table scraps as often as possible. I let mine eat as much as they want when they want. I got them the end of April, and I know the 3 biggest ones are over 250lbs now, and all will go to the butcher shop in September.

[bstuart29]

Originally Posted by stifflej

I have a home made feeder that I just dump a 100lb bag into when they empty it. I also feed yard, garden, orchard and table scraps as often as possible. I let mine eat as much as they want when they want. I got them the end of April, and I know the 3 biggest ones are over 250lbs now, and all will go to the butcher shop in September.

Thanks. Can you tell me a little more about the feeder ya built

[stifflej]

Here is a pic, the only thing you can't really see is inside the feeder there is plywood that makes sure the feed is pushed to the two feeding sides. Its about 2' by 3' by 3' high and will hold at least 300lbs of feed. Just make sure you have a lid that will keep rain if it will sit outside. I also keep a hoe close to mine so I can push food out when needed (seems I didn't make the 2 pieces of plywood on a high enough angle to push all the food to the open ends).

[PotBellyPigs]

My pigs get all the pature they want, plus old bread products from Nicohol's Bakery, plus milk from my goats, plus garden veggies, such as Summer Squash, etc....
You might say, it is free choice.
Of course, I'm sure that they also eat "strays" that they happen across(like snakes).

[HeritagePigs]

Pigs eat four percent of their body weight per day as a maintenance ration. Adjust up or down based on their condition.

[highlands]

Free feed them. This will maximize their growth rate. If you're pasturing and supplementing with grain then give them the higher calorie 'sweeter' feeds, the candy, in the evening. e.g., grains. This way they eat more of the pasture.

We free feed pasture/hay and whey plus some other dairy, apples, pumpkins, beets, turnips and such depending on the season.

It is important to watch the animals and have a 'keen eye' as the phrase goes. Learn to see fat, muscling, etc and judge if you need more calories, protein, etc. Become familiar with the contents of your feeds. Learn to score the pigs. See:

http://www.thepigsite.com/stockstds/...dition-scoring

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

[bstuart29]

Originally Posted by stifflej

Here is a pic, the only thing you can't really see is inside the feeder there is plywood that makes sure the feed is pushed to the two feeding sides. Its about 2' by 3' by 3' high and will hold at least 300lbs of feed. Just make sure you have a lid that will keep rain if it will sit outside. I also keep a hoe close to mine so I can push food out when needed (seems I didn't make the 2 pieces of plywood on a high enough angle to push all the food to the open ends).

Thanks the pic is quite helpful, I might have to build one of those. So it works by gravity, as the eat more feed some out?

[stifflej]

Yup, gravity fed, like I said, just make sure you put enough slope on the pieces of plywood on the inside so gravity does its job. I made mine a little to flat so I have to get in and move the last of it out of the center.

[Lazy J]

Originally Posted by stifflej

Here is a pic, the only thing you can't really see is inside the feeder there is plywood that makes sure the feed is pushed to the two feeding sides. Its about 2' by 3' by 3' high and will hold at least 300lbs of feed. Just make sure you have a lid that will keep rain if it will sit outside. I also keep a hoe close to mine so I can push food out when needed (seems I didn't make the 2 pieces of plywood on a high enough angle to push all the food to the open ends).

I like the ingenuity of the feeder you made. Your feeder is much cheaper than the ones I have had to purchase!

I don't like seeing a feed trough full of feed as is shown in the photo. The excess feed is subject to becoming stale, mold, and waste by the pigs.

I recommend that 50% of the feed pan be covered with feed in commercial feeders.

Jim

[clovis]

My cousin built gravity feeders for his hogs. He used 2 x 4 for the inside frame, and 1 x 6 for the outside. He built a lid on a hinge on the top and bottom to help keep mice out of the feed.

[Rogo]

I have always free choice fed my house pets and livestock. I don't put out tons of feed, just more than they'd eat in one day. Hay is always available to the livestock. All nibble periodically throughout the day and night.

None are confined (house pets have a doggy door) and none have been obese. All the critters are more pleasant to be around and easy to work with.

[stifflej]

Originally Posted by Lazy J

I like the ingenuity of the feeder you made. Your feeder is much cheaper than the ones I have had to purchase!

I don't like seeing a feed trough full of feed as is shown in the photo. The excess feed is subject to becoming stale, mold, and waste by the pigs.

I recommend that 50% of the feed pan be covered with feed in commercial feeders.

Jim

Was cheap, was made with wood I had left over from various other projects, was based on chicken feeders actually.

As for the feed becoming stale or moldy, I haven't see it happen yet. Really haven't seen them waste any either.