[harry]

hi..trying to sort out what rations i should feed,,,,,, got 4 kunes, now about 10 weeks old........ loads of free range over very rough grazing, grass, docks, nettles etc etc..hope to kill at about 11 months... ive read feed weaners at 1lb per day always... also read feed weaners at 1lb per day times weeks old..or is it months??? if you have KKs on free range how much weaners do you feed.

[SallyintNorth]

Karen will be along shortly to do KK specifics, but the usual for weaners is 1lb/day per month of age up to 6lbs/day at 6 months for a large pig, then continue with 6lbs/day.  I find 4lbs max is plenty for an adult OSB with plenty of extras (veg & some dairy waste); I think Karen usually says half the 'large pig' rations for a KK with plenty of grass but she'll correct that if it's wrong.

[HappyHippy]

You have been paying attention Sally 
I go for 1lb per Kune per day - in the spring & summer when there is plenty of grass. At this time of year, when the grass is starting to go, I suppliment with hay and up the feed a bit. There isn't really a set formula though - every pig, owner and land is different and needs to be assesed individually. I feed according to the pigs' condition - generally no more than 2lbs per pig per day if they're outside, it goes up a bit if they come in or the weather gets bad. If you can see their backbones - they're too skinny, if you can't feel their ribs - they're too fat  Don't be tempted to try feeding them more to make them grow quicker, you'll just end up with very fat pigs.
HTH
Karen

[janeislay]

That's very useful Karen    My Kune Kune X Tamworth are due any day now.  Hopefully they'll take a bit less feeding when weaned than the other pigs did !  Many many thanks again for the feed we collected from you
Jane

[robert waddell]

there may be some confusion here              will kk crosses take on the dominance of the tamworth or the kk or should it be a half way feed option 

[HappyHippy]

You're very welcome Jane 
We'll be needing to see photo's once they arrive 
Normally, I'd have said they'd be more likely to take on the boar's characteristics so you would get the grazing potential.......but my Large Black has produced cross Mangalitza piglets who look exactly like Large Blacks (so far..... but they are only 3 weeks old, so time for it to change) I think it'll be a case of seeing how they turn out and just keeping an eye on them.
I think the best plan, for all pigs, is to feed by eye and touch. It's all well and good folk suggesting feed regeimes, but I don't think any of it should be taken as gospel - every situation is different. Pigs in a large lush field or wood will need less feeding than those in a smaller area with less forrage. Different breeds and crosses will all have slightly different needs too. I've found what works best for me, but that might not suit everyone.
Karen 

[Blonde]

You're very welcome Jane 
We'll be needing to see photo's once they arrive 
Normally, I'd have said they'd be more likely to take on the boar's characteristics so you would get the grazing potential.......but my Large Black has produced cross Mangalitza piglets who look exactly like Large Blacks (so far..... but they are only 3 weeks old, so time for it to change) I think it'll be a case of seeing how they turn out and just keeping an eye on them.
I think the best plan, for all pigs, is to feed by eye and touch. It's all well and good folk suggesting feed regeimes, but I don't think any of it should be taken as gospel - every situation is different. Pigs in a large lush field or wood will need less feeding than those in a smaller area with less forrage. Different breeds and crosses will all have slightly different needs too. I've found what works best for me, but that might not suit everyone.
Karen 

How doyou feed by eye and touch......I have my diets made up by a professional nutritionist  and get good back fat readings on every load I send the abattoir.   I am paid on weight and grade, so If my weight is not what they want then I am penalised and If my back fat does not fall in to their catagory then I am also penalised.   The market stipulates a  desired product and if you dont grow to that market you might as well not have pigs.

[SallyintNorth]

How doyou feed by eye and touch......I have my diets made up by a professional nutritionist  and get good back fat readings on every load I send the abattoir.   I am paid on weight and grade, so If my weight is not what they want then I am penalised and If my back fat does not fall in to their catagory then I am also penalised.   The market stipulates a  desired product and if you dont grow to that market you might as well not have pigs.

I think it's a tougher job over here, Blonde.  We don't have your brilliant weather; for us it's cold a lot, wet and muddy a lot, and very very difficult to produce healthy and happy free ranging pigs with only 12mm of back fat.

Our supermarkets sell very little free range pork as it is so difficult to produce lean free range pork in this country and they don't believe their customer will buy pork with an inch of fat on it.  They sell 'outdoor-bred' and sometimes 'outdoor-reared' pork, ie the sows are outdoor and have the piglets outside, but the porkers are usually fattened and pretty much always finished indoors.  Even organic pork is often indoors for the last month or so.

[Blonde]

How doyou feed by eye and touch......I have my diets made up by a professional nutritionist  and get good back fat readings on every load I send the abattoir.   I am paid on weight and grade, so If my weight is not what they want then I am penalised and If my back fat does not fall in to their catagory then I am also penalised.   The market stipulates a  desired product and if you dont grow to that market you might as well not have pigs.

I think it's a tougher job over here, Blonde.  We don't have your brilliant weather; for us it's cold a lot, wet and muddy a lot, and very very difficult to produce healthy and happy free ranging pigs with only 12mm of back fat.

Our supermarkets sell very little free range pork as it is so difficult to produce lean free range pork in this country and they don't believe their customer will buy pork with an inch of fat on it.  They sell 'outdoor-bred' and sometimes 'outdoor-reared' pork, ie the sows are outdoor and have the piglets outside, but the porkers are usually fattened and pretty much always finished indoors.  Even organic pork is often indoors for the last month or so.

My pigs are all grown outdoors free range....I average a back fat of around 8 or 9 mm.   This is waht the market want over here.   Free range is becoming scare here in West Oz as so many are closing down..... So I sell all my pigs to the abattoir without a hitch, as long as I fit in their catagories

[HappyHippy]

I'm not doing it in a 'commercial' sense - I don't sell my pigs to the abbatoir, I prefer to have the carcass butchered and sell direct to the consumer.
I keep traditional native breeds (which are far more prone to high fat levels than a commercial breed such as Landrace, pietrain, Large white, hampshire etc) I'm not weighing on a weekly basis, trying to get to finishing at X weeks old - I'm letting them grow slowly, in large paddocks and they generally get a compound feed with around 16% protien as well as lots of fruit & veg. My backfat measurements are generally around 15mm (which probably seems really high to you, but for rare breed pork I don't think it's actually that bad)
When I say I feed 'by eye' I mean that they generally get around a pound of food per month of age, but if they start to look or feel skinny (obvious backbone, condition score of less than 2.5) I up it a bit (or reduce the size of paddock they're in) and if they start to get fat (can't feel ribs, condition score of 3.5 or above) I cut back the feeding or move them to a larger area.
It's not as exacting as the commercial guys who worry about feed conversion rates and have to produce a carcass for £x for the butcher/supermarket........I'm a bit more laid back about it. But then, I'm not producing huge numbers of pigs either 
Hope that explains it a bit ?
Karen 

[Blonde]

I'm not doing it in a 'commercial' sense - I don't sell my pigs to the abbatoir, I prefer to have the carcass butchered and sell direct to the consumer.
I keep traditional native breeds (which are far more prone to high fat levels than a commercial breed such as Landrace, pietrain, Large white, hampshire etc) I'm not weighing on a weekly basis, trying to get to finishing at X weeks old - I'm letting them grow slowly, in large paddocks and they generally get a compound feed with around 16% protien as well as lots of fruit & veg. My backfat measurements are generally around 15mm (which probably seems really high to you, but for rare breed pork I don't think it's actually that bad)
When I say I feed 'by eye' I mean that they generally get around a pound of food per month of age, but if they start to look or feel skinny (obvious backbone, condition score of less than 2.5) I up it a bit (or reduce the size of paddock they're in) and if they start to get fat (can't feel ribs, condition score of 3.5 or above) I cut back the feeding or move them to a larger area.
It's not as exacting as the commercial guys who worry about feed conversion rates and have to produce a carcass for £x for the butcher/supermarket........I'm a bit more laid back about it. But then, I'm not producing huge numbers of pigs either 
Hope that explains it a bit ?
Karen 

it does thank Karen...... I am also a commercail producer but a smaller than the norm producer.   A free range one at that.  I do ahve to have my diets commercial prepared to meet market specifications and times and weights.  I also do a little bit of breeidng on my own, and have something just a little different. It is merely a hobby, but the commercial side of the piggery pays all the bills, etc.

[SallyintNorth]

I also do a little bit of breeidng on my own, and have something just a little different.

That sounds intriguing... care to tell us more?  And/or put up some piccies?

[Blonde]

I also do a little bit of breeidng on my own, and have something just a little different.

That sounds intriguing... care to tell us more?  And/or put up some piccies?

I dont know how to put up piccies on here...will have to give it a go...... Hence I dont have a picture on my name ether

[SallyintNorth]

I dont know how to put up piccies on here...will have to give it a go...... Hence I dont have a picture on my name ether
[/quote]

I know it's been written up before but I couldn't find it, so have written it up again:

Upload pic :
http://www.accidentalsmallholder.net/forum/index.php?topic=18691.0

Upload avatar pic:
http://www.accidentalsmallholder.net/forum/index.php?topic=18692.msg175370#msg175370

[Blonde]

I dont know how to put up piccies on here...will have to give it a go...... Hence I dont have a picture on my name ether

I know it's been written up before but I couldn't find it, so have written it up again:

Upload pic :
http://www.accidentalsmallholder.net/forum/index.php?topic=18691.0

Upload avatar pic:
http://www.accidentalsmallholder.net/forum/index.php?topic=18692.msg175370#msg175370
[/quote]Part one for the avatar complete..... thank you....still have the piccies to upload...