weaner pigs, anyone feed them not using bagged pelleted feed?

[lalaland]

we're going to try our hand at raising two piglets for butchering later in the fall. I am really interested in avoiding the pelleted feed - will have corn and oats, they will be pastured, and there will be some people food but not much! I've tried to read up, but most of the books basically say go to your pet food store and buy the bagged processed food. Since the whole idea is to have better quality food, that seems counterproductive.

anyone have any ideas?

 

[Wolf-Kim]

I have no input, but I do wish to do the same thing in the next couple of years. So, I will be watching this thread closely.

 

[freemotion]

I plan on not feeding pellets myself. So ask me again in December once I am successful!

I will use cracked corn. My grandfather and my dad both raised pigs by soaking/fermenting whole oats (plus other foods, not sure as to exactly what, though!) My grandfather was a farmer and grew mostly potatoes and oats. He may have fed boiled potatoes, too....most likely.

I remember my dad would fill a five gallon pail with oats and fill it with water, and let it sit for a few days until it was all fizzy. Then the pigs would suck that down! It is far from complete, but oats were very cheap when bought by the barrel-ful from neighbors who grew them.

The people I am getting my piglets from feed their pigs on organic bread from bakeries, milk from dairies, veg scraps from anywhere, all throw-aways.

 

[ohiofarmgirl]

nah.. you dont need all that bagged food. here's what we do..

1. when they are very young they need a lot of protein so instead of buying hog starter for $17 a bag (!!!!) we buy regular hog grower ($7 a bag) and one bag of calf manna. the calf manna is really expensive ($25/bag) but we only need 1 bag and that is for 2 pigs for the entire season. add a small scoop on top of the regular hog feed. this is what we feed for about 6 weeks (depends on how old they are when you get them). we also give them goat milk as well as COOKED eggs. and then all kinds of garden scraps. the old timers tell you to feed them 2 or 3 times a day, all they can eat for 20 minutes. if there is any food left after that time you've feed them too much. i like the 3 times a day schedule. just watch that they are growing steadily. if they kind of level off than pour on more protein.

2. once they are to about 60 or 70 pounds, we wean them off the hog feed and feed them entirely crushed corn. we pour on even more milk, whey, and COOKED eggs. they can eat kitchen scraps as well. and anything out of the garden. grow extra pumpkins - they love them, they are a natural wormer, and its funny to watch pigs play pumpkin football.

3. we also know some folks who press cider so we go and get the pressing leftovers by the truckload and mix that with corn plus milk. that gets them nice and fat.

some important notes:
* cook the eggs! dont give raw... they'll eat raw eggs but raw eggs have a protein inhibitor and so it isnt doing them any good
* you can feed hay - they eat it. of course, the more they can forage in pasture the cheaper it will be for you. but they will demolish the pasture. we put ours in a poison ivy field and they loved it (no it didnt hurt them)
* dont have goats? call around to 4H groups or breeders. i know a gal who dumps 50 gallons of milk A DAY from her goaties.
* stop and talk with folks who have farm markets and such - most of them will be happy for you to come and get the stuff they cant sell. we got a bunch of '2nd's and uglies from an orchard. they were just glad not to have to haul it away and our pigs loved the apples, peaches etc.
* watch your chickens! pigs may figure out those flappy squawky things are delicious and may kill them. our buckeye hens were too fast for those pigs, but there was some close calls.
* go directly to electric fence - see BBH's posts on that free pig for more info
* pigs arent dogs. be very careful as they are dangerous and extremely strong. i would never get into the pen with them and i never get near them with out my hard workin' farm dogs and my beatin' stick. ask Quail how much she loved her pigs

and then go and get your pigs and dream of bacon! speaking of.. i think i need a big ol slab of ham today....

 

[rebecca100]

My dh's family fed fermented corn. Same thing as Free said-only corn instead. You have to be really careful that the pigs are getting the nutrition that they need. Otherwise they could develop rickets or other problems. I think pasturing would probably be best. Of course, that is not possible for most people(including me!!!). Good luck with your piggies!

 

[ohiofarmgirl]

yep - let the corn soak and get good and stinky - they love it.

our neighbors fed their hogs bagged food exclusively...and their pork wasnt very good. our corn-n-apple-n-milk-n-eggs was much better. use what you have!

 

[noobiechickenlady]

 

[modern_pioneer]

And look, go to your local bread outlet, purchase garbage bags full of off/out of date pastries and breads for some add slop!! It makes for happy pigs when they have a treat now and then.

Pigs do like lots of love, and give them a buttermilk bath every once in a while. Their a real pain when their young, but come dinner time, you will have some good eats!!

 

[freemotion]

My dh's family fed fermented corn. Same thing as Free said-only corn instead. You have to be really careful that the pigs are getting the nutrition that they need. Otherwise they could develop rickets or other problems. I think pasturing would probably be best. Of course, that is not possible for most people(including me!!!). Good luck with your piggies!

Did they use whole corn or cracked corn for this? Does anyone know if pigs can handle whole corn?

 

[miss_thenorth]

I'm sure tha pigs can handle whole corn. for my sheep when they wer preggos, and still while lactating, their feed is oats, whole corn, and bagged sheep feed mixed together. If sheep canhandle whole I'm sure pigs can handle it.