How much feed ?

[Mike Fronczak]

First time with pigs !
We got 7 mix heritage breed pigs about a month ago. I would guess about 60 lbs each now, obviously some more some less. Is there a number of lbs/day of food hog grower (14% protein I believe), we shoul be giving them. They wolf down what we give them twice a day but are getting double chins too. They are in about a 10 k sqft paddock/pasture.

 

[Cricket]

I believe the rough formula is one pound of grain per every month of age up to 4lbs per day. I used this on my Berkshire/Tamworth crosses, subtracting a little if they got a lot of milk, quite often they probably got more calories than that but never less. They really eat a lot of grass and hay also and the ones I butchered were quite lean, no inner fat and about an inch on the carcass. They were fairly young--one 6 months and the boar 8 months. A friend of mine feeds free choice--a lot of lard if that's what you want (and the double chins!). Have fun--they're a blast on pasture!

 

[Mike Fronczak]

They are roughly 3 months old so 21 lbs/day ?
We are pretty close then we go through about a bag of feed (50 lbs) in 2 days.

 

[Cricket]

But then it depends on how much nutrition they are getting from pasture, right? If you think they're too fat, I would think you could cut back. My friends that free fed last year (fat pigs) this year are not feeding them grain until they've done a good job on their veggies (they're vegetable farmers). Their pigs still look fat to me, but it goes to a personal preference thing at that point!

 

[Mike Fronczak]

They are fun, the kids seem to enjoy them as well, at least for now....they get big quick. They are so friendly unlike cattle which are more shy. We may try breeding a couple not sure yet, the males are cut so we would have to use AI, time will tell. The only issues I've seen so far is they root a lot. If we breed them I was figuring on trying a Large black to help curtail that.