What To Feed Pigs Rule 1/7
Here are some tips on what to feed pigs
Rule 1: Outdoor pigs need more than just pasture to survive.
• While it is true that pigs love rooting in and eating pasture, they cannot survive on pasture alone. They need a balanced ration usually based on cereal grain. Pigs are monogastric (single stomach) animals and are inefficient digesters of fibre (only 50% efficiency).
• Diets based on pasture are high in fibre. Pasture quality can change quickly. Pigs unused to pasture diets can take 2 months to adjust. Most of this adjustment is due to changes in the size of the large intestine and changes to microflora in the gut. The more fibre in the diet the lower the digestibility.
• Young pigs do not have the gut capacity to eat enough pasture to get their nutrient requirements for growth, health and well being. Pasture should be 10% or less of their daily intake for best results. Mature dry sows may cope with 50% of their diet comprising of good quality pasture but they need a balanced ration as well. Lactating sows should be fed to appetite with a grain based ration.
• Pigs on a pasture based diet have a reduced dressing % due to the increased gut volume for fibre digestion.
