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If one was to feed strictly corn to there pigs, how many pounds would you feed per hundred pounds? Also it would be two feedings a day. Thanks for any info.
Question on amount of corn per hundred pounds of weight
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I really don't know, but will be waiting on some answers. My experience with my pigs is beginner status. I've learned a lot, but not enough to know on the feed question. I know a lot of people will tell you they need a balanced diet and certain requirements. I'm sure they are right, and I feed mine grower pellets right now. There was a time when all they had was corn and scraps. My father-in law grew up growing what he called field corn just for animal feed. I know times have changed, but it would be interesting to hear from someone that feeds corn though.
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Age of pig? Breed of pig? Feeders,breeders,boar,female, lots of things decides what and how much feed is needed for pigs. Need more info.
OK, I assume you aren't being strict when you say "strictly" and that you are including a supplement because 100% corn is not a healthy diet. There is a disease in humans called Pellagra (a deficiency of B3) that no one in the US gets anymore because so many foods are vitamin fortified these days. Pellagra causes diarrhea, mild to severe dementia, and eventually death. In the early 1900s when they were trying to figure out what caused pellagra, experiments on prisoners of an all corn diet (corn bread, whole corn, and other corn products) resulted in the prisoners going mad to various degrees after weeks on the diet. Many of them begged to be let off the diet. I've never read anything about pellagra in swine, but I'll bet pigs would have the same problem.
And then there is the problem of adequate protein. Haypoint just posted in the swine feed thread that a good diet consists of:
2/3 ground corn, 1/3 ground soybean, add a mineral mix designed for pigs, free choice. A flake (2 pounds) hay per hog per day, substitute a bucket of garden weeds when available. A 5 gallon bucket of fruit per hog.
That's good advice and there are a thousand ways you can substitute other things for soy to add protein (Highlands uses whey) or substitute for corn to add calories (potatoes, sweet potatoes, beets, turnips, etc), but you should not substitute corn for soy and vice versa.
Reed the feed sticky and you'll find lots of other alternative feeds if you are interested in that sort of thing.
And then there is the problem of adequate protein. Haypoint just posted in the swine feed thread that a good diet consists of:
2/3 ground corn, 1/3 ground soybean, add a mineral mix designed for pigs, free choice. A flake (2 pounds) hay per hog per day, substitute a bucket of garden weeds when available. A 5 gallon bucket of fruit per hog.
That's good advice and there are a thousand ways you can substitute other things for soy to add protein (Highlands uses whey) or substitute for corn to add calories (potatoes, sweet potatoes, beets, turnips, etc), but you should not substitute corn for soy and vice versa.
Reed the feed sticky and you'll find lots of other alternative feeds if you are interested in that sort of thing.
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Figure about 4 pounds of grain to make one pound of live weight.
You can not feed a diet of nothing but corn. That's not balanced.
You can not feed a diet of nothing but corn. That's not balanced.
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Our first pigs were finished on just corn. No soy no minerals just corn. They were jiggly fat, small framed, and took a lot more feed. They were barely up to 200 pounds by 6 months old and eating a over a five gallon bucket of corn a day each. Poor growth and the wrong kind of fat. They did not taste good either.
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Corn is basically an energy ration. What you want to do is find a protein, plural I should say, to go with that energy. Typically soy is the protein that is used but there are many other possible sources of protein.
If you want the simplest thing then buy a commercial hog feed. The companies have done all the figuring so it is nutritionally complete.
If you want the cheapest thing then feed pasture if you have it or what ever other resources you have - pigs are very adaptable.
Or go somewhere in between. Feed pasture in the first part of the day and some sort of supplement, like corn for energy, in the end of the day. Great way to call the pigs in from the field for the night too.
-Walter
If you want the simplest thing then buy a commercial hog feed. The companies have done all the figuring so it is nutritionally complete.
If you want the cheapest thing then feed pasture if you have it or what ever other resources you have - pigs are very adaptable.
Or go somewhere in between. Feed pasture in the first part of the day and some sort of supplement, like corn for energy, in the end of the day. Great way to call the pigs in from the field for the night too.
-Walter
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I tried feeding just corn, I didn't notice all the things others have mentioned, but mine didn't grow, basically at all in a month if dumping them corn. Thus ended that experiment.
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