Nutritional Aspects:
Feeding Pigs
SAPPO Pig Production Course
2008
Jim Robinson
FEEDING PIGS
PRINCIPLES:
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Pigs are omnivorous
Pigs are meant to eat like pigs
Pigs reward good feeding
Different pigs eat different feed and are measured
differently
For instance: Genetics, housing, health and
management vary widely; so do our expectations.
FEEDING PIGS
Feed constituents and sources:
• Proteins- amino acids are required for body
building- muscle, bones, organs, skin.
Sources: - animal products; fish meal,
meat & bone meal,
- left overs (e.g. swill)
- plants and grains-lower protein
levels, short of essential
aminos (lysine, methionine etc)
- Oil cake- remainder of grains
after oil is extracted
FEEDING PIGS
Energy food: - Carbohydrates, required for body
functions and muscle activity;
excess energy is converted to fat
Sources:
• Grains eg, maize, wheat, barley, sorghumdigestibility varies.
• Vegetables: pumpkins,carrots etc
• Oils and fats- very rich in energy
FEEDING PIGS
Fibre: Vegetable residues- aid digestion and
peristalsis
• Sources: bran,hominy chop, lucerne
Vitamins & minerals:
• Ca, P, Mg, Na, K, trace elements.
• Full range of vitamins- ADEK (fat sol)
• B,C, Folic acid…….. (water sol)
Water:
• Clean water essential and sometimes neglected
PIG FEEDING
PIG RATIONS
High performing commercial pigs get well formulated
rations
• Creep
• Weaner
• Grower
• Finisher
• Lactating sow
• Sow and boar
The younger the pig the greater the requirement for
complete proteins, digestible carbohydrates,
vitamins and minerals
(See table on page 65)
FEEDING PIGS
TERMS & MEASUREMENTS
• ad lib- as much as they want
• Balanced ration: compound feed prepared
according to a scientific formula
• Digestible energy: calculated from knowledge of
feed & allows for undigested particles
• FCR: Feed conversion ratio- The total kilograms of
feed required to produce 1 kg of meat.
• Herd FCR: Total feed to the whole herd to produce
1 kg of meat.
• Note: “Feed to gain” (USA) or “live mass FCR” refer
to live pigs not meat
FEEDING PIGS
HOW MUCH AND WHEN
Times per day
In commercial herds with balanced rations
2
Sows (dry ie pregnant) & boars – 2kg/day
vary by conditions and season
3 or 4
Lactating sows: 2-3 kg/day for 2 days then
“ad lib” – 2kg + 0.4 kg per suckler as
minimum
2 X 20 minutes
Sucklers: Mother’s milk then creep ration
for last 10 days before weaning
“Ad lib”
Weaners – 250g/day for 2 days, then “ad
lib”
“Ad lib”
Growers – “ad lib” (70% of all feed used
here)
“Ad lib”
All pigs, water of good quality
FEEDING PIGS
NON COMMERCIAL PIGS
Either:
• Mix your own from tables and own sources
Or:
• Use balanced rations for young pigs esp creep
and weaner and cheaper feeds for growers and
adults.
• Lactating sows need a balanced ration
Or:
• Feed “swill” of good quality
FEEDING PIGS
SWILL
Bad term because it has a bad reputation
Rather:
“Food by-products” e.g:
• Stale bread, cooked meal from industry canteens
• Dated animal cubes (Horse, dog…)
• Reject of access vegetables
• Spoilt milk, whey, brewery grain….
Bad swill is dangerous and unwholesome!
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Restaurant and hospital kitchen waste
Any feed containing meat of any animal
Rotten vegetables
Stinking water
FEEDING PIGS
NB: NOTHING that comes
from harbours or airports
may be fed!
Law requires all swill
containing raw animal
product to be boiled for 30
minutes