Question about a pig..

[chellebyerly]

I am trying to learn about pigs. I have a few 2-3 month old ones and am raising them to breed.

I have a few questions about feeding and such. DO any of y'all know of a forum like this one for pigs/hogs?

I have found one, but it seems to have mostly members from out of country and their feed is a bit differnt.
I also found one show forum, but I am not sure I would quite fit in iwth my badly colored (or NOT colored) hampshires! LOL

OR can you answer me?
when can I get them off this $20.00 a bag starter feed?

and an average size hog at 3 months weighs??? what?? LOL

and, with just 3 hogs I cant justify 'milling' my own feed, BUT, I have heard tell of folks mixing wheat, rice, pinto beans and something else??

OR just other things. and its MUCH cheaper. I would MUCH prefer that method

LOL

 

[Up-the-Creek]

I don't know if I can be much help, but we raised pigs last year. We had two and boy do they eat! We got them when they were about three months old and we just used regular ole hog meal 16% protein. We also fed cracked corn and whole corn on the cob plus lots and lots of scraps from our kitchen and neighbors for miles around. They absolutely love veggie scraps,milk,yard clippings(if free from pesticide). They will even meat scraps but it is not reccomended. I miss mine and plan on buying a few more this spring. It is like having a garbage disposal on four legs!

By the way,..info is far and few on the internet. Buy a BOOK!

 

[chellebyerly]

Thank you

I have a pot bellied pig, but all he eats is dog food and some Dr Pepper. LOL
Oh and scraps. But he is on a VERY strict diet. He got so fat while staying at my MIL's his eyes are almost closed. I dont want that for breeding hogs. LOL

We decided to keep and breed these 3 (2 sows and a boar) because they are scarce as hens teeth.

We paid 50.00 a pig, and it took me forever to find any. But like I said, I am already ready to get them off the 20.00 a bag feed. since they went through 50 pounds in 3 days. At this rate I could buy a hog peice by peice at walmart and save money. LOL

I dont want to stunt them, but I dont think I have to feed them 'hog food' either.

I know its formulated and such, but honestly, it has to be cheaper to do it with out the words 'hog food' printed on the bag.

Thanks for the help.

 

[Up-the-Creek]

I wish I could be more help. I know it is hard to find any info about pigs because not many people "backyard" raise pigs anymore. We actually started out with four and 2 of ours got sick and died. Well they were sick when my well intenioned DH bought them. I drove my vet nuts with them, but we couldnt save the two, they had pnemonia. My vet says they are hard to treat because medicene for them have been mainstreamed into commercial farming, and yes he is a large animal doctor plus his daughter shows pigs. Just sure you stay on top of their health,...worming and such. If they are good healthy pigs you shouldn't have much trouble with them, but if you plan to breed them you probably should get as much material on that subject as you can. We thought the same thing until I read up on it and plus talked to some "ole timers'. We just decided to sell one and the other went to butcher. I do wish you the best of luck. By the way,..$50 isnt bad for pigs, here they go for $75 on up.

 

[Barnyard]

I would feed them 2 times a day, once in the morning and once at night. That will help with the feed bill.

ETA: I meant along with scaps and grass, lol

 

[Livinzoo]

Do you have any dairy processing plants or cheese factories nearby? Many of them have out dated product or excess whey they have to pay to be hauled off. They love to give it away for free. Look up Dean foods, They have plants all over.

My three pigs eat 3 gallons of buttermilk, 10 lbs of cottage cheese and about 2-3 pounds of hog feed a day. They also get leftovers from the fridge and in the summer they will get excess from the garden.

I'm only on my 4th bag of food since October, when I got my GOS. I got the 2 feeder pigs in January. They were about 15 lbs each than, and I believe they are about 75 now. My GOS is probably about 150 or so. She is going to be my breeder.


Good luck

 

[Amyable]

Yes, ditto on the milk products. For a while my dad, who raises a few pigs every couple years, got spoiled milk from a distributor in town and it was some of the best meat ever. Unfortunately, he can't get it anymore because its considered hazardous waste (???) and must be disposed of. Wasteful, IMO.

Our pigs loved zucchini, and its very easy to grow and prolific.

 

[Skyesrocket]

I would think that you would feed pigs that you are raising for breeders a little different than pigs your raising for the freezer.
With breeders I think good nutrition is more important than rapid weight gain.
If you have the area you might want to pasture raise them. You don't need a huge pasture, but an area they can root up and graze in. Pigs do enjoy eating grass. And the exercise they get from being out rooting around would be a good way for them to stay in shape and healthy.
I'm sorry I can't be more specific about what to feed them. Probably something along the lines of a maintance feed once they are off of the starter feed. Are you feeding the amount the product calls for? Pigs always act hungry. I wouldn't feed them as much as they want, but what the manufacturer recomends.
During the summer you can supplement the feed with garden scraps. Fruit and veggie sellers at fleamarkets throw a lot of produce out at the end of the weekends too.
Good luck with them.