Feeding pigs: Part 1

Pigs cannot thrive on leftover scraps from the kitchen. To ensure healthy, productive and profitable pigs, feed them nutritious, balanced rations.

Pigs need to be fed differently at each stage of life, as their nutriment requirements change. Thus, boars and gestating sows, sows with piglets, young pigs three to 10 weeks old, and pigs being grown for slaughter at 60kg to 90kg live weight should all be fed different mixtures.

Feed mixtures for each pig class should contain the right quantities of digestible energy (DE), proteins, minerals and vitamins, and the various feedstuffs should be weighed correctly before mixing.

FEED SOURCE

The various feed sources include:

•  Grain Maize is high in DE and low in protein, and should comprise between 55% and 70% of the total feed mixture. This will provide between 60% and 80% of the total DE in the mixture and contribute 30% to 60% of the protein content.

Sorghum can be substituted for maize on an equal basis, provided that sweet sorghum (low tannin) varieties are used.

Feed-grade wheat can also be substituted for maize, provided its cost is not higher than 20% that of maize.

Its protein content is usually higher than maize, and its DE content lower. Using wheat instead of maize in feed mixtures can greatly reduce protein costs.

Grind the wheat coarsely before feeding it to the animals.