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Different Kinds of Pig Feed

The Ultimate Pig Feed Guide: What to Feed Your Pigs Pigs are amazing creatures. They are smart, gay and noisy animals that could certainly make your day! If you think pigs would go with anything you give them, you're right. They are are single-stomached,omnivorous organisms. Meaning, they have to be fed twice or thrice a day in order not to go hungry. And, they eat almost all kinds of things-but again, it doesn't mean you can give them just anything edible on sight. Pigs love to eat, as they've always had. So feeding shouldn't be a problem in itself. Choosing what to feed is the challenge. If you own one or is planning to venture into pig farming, you must familiarize yourself on their diet. Food is essential for your growing piggies, so this is a large investment on your part. It is your responsibility to pick what they eat and control their meals. Below, is a look at the diet of swines and what you can give to boost their growth and health. What can they eat? Swines need a good mixture of food containing fiber, protein, vitamins and minerals. You can get these from a variety of food sources. Firstly, make sure that you always have a clean trough of water. Pigs love it, not only for drinking- but for soaking their pouty faces too. For any food you serve, make sure that it is gone after 20-30 minutes, and given at least twice a day. Commercial feeds - - Commercial pig feeds are generally more expensive, because every pellet is jampacked with minerals needed by each wiggling body. Depending on a pig's age, the feed varies in amount. For every month of age, a corresponding 450g of feed is given each day. The maximum amount is 2.75kg a day. Generally, commercial feeds are subdivided into three. Creep feeds: Also called starter rations, these commercial feed are for weaners aged from 5 -15 weeks. Starter rations utilize various nutrient sources (carbohydrate, lactose) to aid the growth of your weaners (a crucial point in pig-life) while keeping the feed easily digestible. After that, they graduate into Growing Rations and finally the Finisher Rations. Corn or soybean- - Pigs need a lot of energy to keep on doing their activities- tramping their troughs, wallowing in mud and keeping themselves looking cute. So, farmers incorporate soybeans, corn or dried whey in their their pigs' diets. These are very sources for sugar and protein, specifically lysine. Be careful though [...]

Types of Domestic Pigs

Domestic Pigs: How They Evolved, How They Live? Swine, or domesticated pigs and hogs are omnivorous animals that are generally commercially raised for pork meat and leather. In the United States, a “pig” is a young swine weighing less than 120 pounds while a “hog” is a more mature one which weighs more than 120 pounds. The swine belongs to the same family as wild boars wart hogs, bush pigs and babyrusas. Their common characteristics include a stout, stocky torso, short legs with four hoofed toes each, a long head, short pointed ears, small eyes and a distinctive snout, tipped with of a round cartilaginous disk and terminal nostrils which allows them to move their nose as they sniff their way along the ground while foraging for food. Most breeds of domestic pigs and hogs have sparse hair covering their skin. They are sociable and smart animals and, like dogs, can be taught and trained to perform a variety of tricks and tasks. Dwarf breeds, like the pot-bellied pigs, can make excellent house pets. According to the National Pork Board, most swine bred for consumption are the offspring of a combination of one of five dark breed boars bred to one of three white breed sows. This is because the dark breed boars enhance the meat quality of their offspring while the white breed females are used for their ability to produce many piglets as well as for their maternal instincts which allow more piglets to survive. There are many combinations of breeds and genetic lines used to influence the characteristics each producer looks for with regard to meat quality, farming method and the hog market. The most popular commercial breeds in the United States are the Berkshire, the Chester White, the Duroc the Hampshire, the Landrace, the Poland China, the Spotted Pig and the Yorkshire. Aside from the commercially farmed swine, there are the so-called “heritage breeds.” These are breeds which come from bloodlines that goes back hundreds of years when livestock was raised on open-pasture farms. Unveiling the Unique Qualities of Exceptional Domesticated Pigs The quality of their pork have certain desirable characteristics, including the rich taste of their meat, the distinct marbling, the bacon flavors and creamy fat. Heritage breeds, unfortunately, are generally not suited for commercial farming. There are thirteen known heritage breeds in the United States. They are: the Choctaw, the Gloucastershire Old Spot, the Guinea Hog, the Hereford, the Iberian, the Lacombe, the Large Black, the Large White, the Mangalitsa or [...]