Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
source of vitamins and minerals for your pigs. Mix the soybean meal, alfalfa meal, and corn
together for a good, nutritious feed for your pigs.
Other plant sources of protein include wheat, bran, alfalfa meal, distiller's grains, brewer's
products, corn gluten meal, and hominy feed. Depending on the grain and protein supplement
you choose for your pigs, you will need to find the right mixture of vitamins and minerals to
add to your pigs' diet. For example, if you use alfalfa meal as a protein source, it is already a
good source of vitamins and minerals, which means you will have to use fewer vitamin and
mineral additives. The downside of using some of these other plant protein sources is that
they are more costly than soybean meal. For example, at one feed store, a 100-pound bag of
soybean meal was $19; a 50-pound bag of alfalfa meal was $12; and a 50-pound bag of corn
gluten meal was $24. You will need to consider the fact that soybean meal has about 38 per-
cent protein compared to 16 to 18 percent protein for alfalfa meal, and 40 percent protein for
corn gluten meal. So, choosing the best protein supplement is not always easy.
Vitamins and minerals
Vitamins and minerals typically come in premixes to be mixed into grains or feeds, unless
they are supplied in the form of a specific supplement such as alfalfa meal. However, pre-
mixes can be expensive and are usually best purchased in bulk. For one brand, a 60-pound
bag of starter premix was $37.50 with a ten-bag minimum order if purchased online and de-
livered. Premixes can be purchased at many feed stores where livestock feed is sold.
Vitamins and minerals need to be given to your pigs in the right formulation because too
much or too little of certain ingredients can lead to health problems. For example, selenium is
toxic even in low amounts, though a lack of selenium can cause sudden death in rapidly grow-
ing young pigs. It must be fed at just the right amount (3 parts per million for pigs). Less salt
(sodium) is good for finishing and growing pigs. The vitamins and minerals that your pigs re-
quire will fluctuate at different stages of their development. Your pigs can rely on some vit-
amins and minerals from the soil if they graze, and they will get some vitamin D from the sun
if they are outdoors. However, pigs that are confined indoors will rely completely on vitamin
and mineral supplements.
Other supplements and additives
Along with vitamins, minerals, and protein supplements, your pigs may benefit from other ad-
ditives to their feed. Meat and bone meal, fish meal, and tankage are all animal-based supple-
