Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
There are five basic grains in common use for feeding pigs: corn, wheat, milo (sorghum), bar-
ley, and oats. Corn is the most common of these grains. When the other grains are used, such
as wheat or barley, they are not used as a full grain feed ration or as the sole form of grain that
is fed to the pig. Instead, they only make up part of the grain ration fed to the pig. This is be-
cause they are less palatable in some cases and have fewer of the nutrients that pigs require.
When you feed your pigs these grains, they will need more supplements. Corn can be fed as a
full grain feed ration by itself, which explains why it is so popular as a feed for pigs.
Corn is high in carbohydrates and low in fiber. It is an especially good feed for finishing
hogs, when you are trying to put the last pounds on a hog before going to market. However,
you will need to supplement your pigs with protein and vitamins and minerals if you feed
them corn.
Protein
Your pigs must have good sources of protein in order to have the amino acids they need to
thrive because their bodies cannot make amino acids on their own. Amino acids are necessary
to build muscle, for gestation, lactation, and growth.
Because protein is essential for growth, pigs need different levels of protein at different times
in their lives.
PIG PROTEIN REQUIREMENTS
Age — Protein %
Nursing/weaning — 18-20
Growers (50-125 lbs) — 15-16
Finishing (125-250 lbs) — 13-14
Young gilts and boars — 15-16
Adult sows and boars — 13-14
A number of good protein supplements commonly are added to a pig's feed. Soybean meal is
a popular protein supplement. Soybeans can be grown easily in case you are interested in
growing your own crop. You should not allow pigs to eat raw soybeans, however. They con-
tain trypsin inhibitors, which can prevent the young pig's body from absorbing protein prop-
erly and inhibit growth. Although soybean meal is economical, it still lacks vitamins and min-
erals. If you use soybean meal as your protein source, you can use alfalfa meal as a good
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