How much hay does a pig consume?

[enggass]

On average? I guess what I want to know is how long one 50-60lb bale will last 2 pigs. (they would be supplemented with other goodies as well)

 

[Truscifi]

My pig didn't eat the hay, she only slept in it. Feed and produce she ate by the ton it seemed, but I never even saw her nibble the hay.

 

[elevan]

Mine use their teeth to chop the hay to create nice fluffy bedding but do not eat it.

 

[sixofus09]

I have 4 that are 13 weeks old. They eat about 100 pounds of milk maker a week now. Plus leftovers from a preschool of 12 kids with 4 adults. Which is a lot of milk fruit vegetables and whatever else they don't eat - meat.

 

[animalfarm]

I have 11 9 week old piglets that are eating hay and straw by the truck load. I really don't know where they put it all. They probably mow through a small square bale in a day along with the same amount of fresh straw. My sow doesn't eat much hay but loves straw and my boar prefers hay. (clover,alfalfa, timothy, treefoil mix).

 

[larryj57]

My Pigs are like of other folks here I have never seen them eat the hay, they do make a nice bed of it.

 

[77Herford]

I have 11 9 week old piglets that are eating hay and straw by the truck load. I really don't know where they put it all. They probably mow through a small square bale in a day along with the same amount of fresh straw. My sow doesn't eat much hay but loves straw and my boar prefers hay. (clover,alfalfa, timothy, treefoil mix).

I've seen both from my Pigs. My Boar loves Hay but sleeps in Straw. My mutt sows are much more forager and prefer rooting around in the woods that I have for them. My Hereford sows prefer Alfalfa pellets soaked in raw milk with slop. They aren't big on Hay but their piglets like it, go figure.

 

[Kotori]

What breeds do you have? I'm thinking of getting Large Blacks, and since they are more a 'grazing' breed that they would be more interested in hay.

And I was hoping they would like the grazing corn hay to round out their winter diet.

 

[animalfarm]

I have large blacks. You won't know what they will eat till its put in front of them. They are less fussy in winter when they need to eat to stay warm. If they get too much grain, they won't be interested as much in roughage. You just need to observe their condition and decide which direction you need the to go. Not sure what corn hay is? Stalks?

 

[Kotori]

I was thinking of using the bmr corn, that is meant for grazing, and cut 'just before tasseling'. Since it has a protein level of 20%, it would keep their winter feed at more or less 15% when fed alongside the mangel roots that average 9% protein. Other grains would be fed too, but I haven't decided which would be best. What fat % do you aim to feed?


http://www.bestforage.com/corn-hybrids/specialty-hybrids/mc-mastergraze-bmr.html

Edit: seems like it only has a 15% protein. do hogs overwinter well on 12% protein +/-?