Food requirements for baby feeder pigs?

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Didn't want to "muddy the waters" on the other feeder pig question about pens for pigs, but I'm considering getting one, maybe two piglets to raise as feeders. How young can they eat standard feed and scraps? Can they start on those as soon as they are weaned? I've seen folks in the area who've raised them in pens made from 4 foot pallets, held up by t-posts, and they seemed to do fine in those. Thanks, Jan

-- Jan in CO (Janice12@aol.com), March 24, 2001

Answers

As soon as you bring them home start feeding scraps and stuff .My last litter started at 2-3 weeks eating with mom.

-- Patty {NY State} (fodfarms@slic.com), March 24, 2001.

Thanks, Patty. Haven't gotten an answer at the owner's place so wasn't sure if they need to be on some type of "Baby Pig Pellets" or something for a while! :)Jan

-- Jan in CO (Janice12@aol.com), March 24, 2001.

You can feed baby pigs as soon as they will eat, although baby pigs do better if fed high protien food for at least a little while. Here in Missouri we have a local feed store that will mix feed for a person and will mix high protien then when the pig grow you cut down on the protien or they will have the crapps. dale

-- dale (dgarr@fidnet.com), March 24, 2001.

I get the piglets at 4 weeks and they're already eating feed. I free feed. They don't eat any more than when hand fed, but they're more content. I feed one 50 pound bag of 'baby,' then one bag of 'starter,' then one bag of 'transition.' From there, it's an individual choice to finish them. I only feed the pellets. I feel they grow properly this way and by filling up on human scraps they don't get the proper intake of their nourishing feed. By 5 months, they're ready to butcher. Folks have their preferences, but I prefer this to be between 225 and 250 pounds. My pigs have a great deal of room to roam and never get over weight.

As an added note, if folks insist on feeding scraps, they should cook everything well. The food should be handled as if for humans, i.e. not left out at room temperature too long and refrigerated if kept.

-- ~Rogo (rogo2020@yahoo.com), March 30, 2001.


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