The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Pigs => Topic started by: Hilarysmum on June 14, 2009, 11:09:06 am

Title: How many eggs?
Post by: Hilarysmum on June 14, 2009, 11:09:06 am
Our pigs love eggs, I feed about a dozen a day between the 4 sows.  My friend thinks this might be too many, can anyone advise please?  Eggs are from our own hens fed raw or hard boiled.
Title: Re: How many eggs?
Post by: catomell on June 14, 2009, 11:17:00 am
I generally only feed eggs as a bit of a treat. Personally, I would think that 3 each per day would be a little too much - don't forget that pigs have very similar constitutions to humans!! They do enjoy them, but perhaps cut it down to every other or every third day. Also, I always feed them uncooked (not allowed, obviously, but what they don't know can't hurt), and I never feed them to those of my pigs that are destined for the food chain, only my sows (and not near farrowing, either) and boars.
Hope this helps.
Cat.
Title: Re: How many eggs?
Post by: Mr Pig on June 14, 2009, 11:33:36 am
See the links on the subject of feeding potato peelings. It is illegal to feed eggs to pigs. "Current legislation also imposes strict controls banning the feeding of other materials of animal origin or products containing them to farm animals" - from defra's A Guide to New Keepers Pigs.
Title: Re: How many eggs?
Post by: Hilarysmum on June 14, 2009, 12:54:01 pm
Mr Pig  I live in France.
Title: Re: How many eggs?
Post by: shetlandpaul on June 14, 2009, 01:50:37 pm
EU rules don't apply in france. How odd.
Title: Re: How many eggs?
Post by: Crofter on June 14, 2009, 02:21:31 pm
EU rules don't apply to anyone with a little common sense!! ;)
Title: Re: How many eggs?
Post by: MiriMaran on June 14, 2009, 08:53:48 pm
EU rules are only put in place so the rest of Europe can laugh at us Brits blindly following all the idiocy! ;D
Title: Re: How many eggs?
Post by: sausagesandcash on June 15, 2009, 12:33:14 am
Pigs have a greater ability to process albulum than humans do
Title: Re: How many eggs?
Post by: Hilarysmum on June 15, 2009, 07:20:20 am

"EU rules don't apply in france. How odd"[/b][/i]

Difference is UK take the "rules" as mandatory

France takes them as advisory. 

Title: Re: How many eggs?
Post by: sausagesandcash on June 15, 2009, 10:21:23 am
Why is everyone getting so egg-cited  ;D
Title: Re: How many eggs?
Post by: MrRee on June 15, 2009, 10:23:33 am
I won't get into the EU regs argument again,I too live in France......

The only difference between a pigs intestines and a humans is that humans have an appendix,pigs have a caecum.
Latest studies in humans show that one can eat as many eggs,raw or cooked,without any adverse effects.
Latest studies in humans show,that by increasing protein intake by 10% above normal,it makes you feel fuller for longer and gives you more stamina.

I can't see any reason for not feeding as many eggs as you have spare,again,within reason,as long as the pigs are happy and aren't suffering in condition.....Ree

PS not getting eggcited,but feel like I have to walk on egg-shells in this forum lately!

Title: Re: How many eggs?
Post by: sausagesandcash on June 15, 2009, 11:06:09 am
 ;D ;D Feel the same....must be the heat getting to people
Title: Re: How many eggs?
Post by: velcro on June 15, 2009, 02:43:27 pm
My pigs love raw eggs especially the crunchy shells - only as a treat though.
Title: Re: How many eggs?
Post by: Hilarysmum on June 15, 2009, 03:44:31 pm
Mr Ree thanks for that.  Wont feel guilty now when I feed them (except when OH looks hopefully for a breakfast egg but they have all gone to the pigs).

If my posting looks heated, sorry its the lack of body language in a forum.  I was SMILING when I wrote it honest.
Title: Re: How many eggs?
Post by: doganjo on June 15, 2009, 04:11:51 pm
;D ;D Feel the same....must be the heat getting to people
What heat! bliddy freezing here!
Title: Re: How many eggs?
Post by: Mr Pig on June 15, 2009, 05:06:44 pm
I appreciate that some of you may live abroad and these rules may or may not apply there but there are many Brits, mostly new to pigs, logging on all the time and if they do not realise that some of you are based in France, Ireland or elsewhere and read these threads, they may well believe that it is perfectly acceptable/legal to follow your advice. The net result may be a court appearance or threats from neighbouring farmers.

It is incumbent on all of us to give good advice to newcomers even if we don't believe in the laws concerned. I feel sure that no one on this Forum wishes to mislead anyone into thinking they can carry out stupid or illegal practices.
Title: Re: How many eggs?
Post by: Hilarysmum on June 15, 2009, 05:08:59 pm
Mr Pig, I appreciate that your posting was kindly meant however you are not really crediting other people with very much common sense.  Anyone owning a pig in UK must have registered with DEFRA who I assume are as vigilant as our own DDSV in sending out reams of paper covering every aspect and do and dont of pig or other animal feeding.  To say nothing of the news covering recent outbreaks of any disease.

Title: Re: How many eggs?
Post by: Hilarysmum on June 15, 2009, 05:10:30 pm
Dogandjo How do you do that quote thing???
Title: Re: How many eggs?
Post by: MrRee on June 15, 2009, 05:25:20 pm
HM when you do a reply,look to the left right of the page next to the person you want to quote.There's a "Insert quote" button highlighted in blue. Hit that,then you can delete out what you don't want.

Have just looked at the Member Map,and just from the members that have taken the time to put a pin on it,there's members from Australia,NZ,the States and Littlepigfarm appears to be on a raft 800 odd miles north of Finland! No-one can be expected to know all the rules and regs of all the countries of the members,only quote what we know to be true in our own country.  ;D  (body-language is all non-aggressive,and even slightly sultry!)


***Ree edits cos he can't tell up from down
Title: Re: How many eggs?
Post by: doganjo on June 15, 2009, 06:27:22 pm
You don't know you're left from your right! ;D ;D  It's on the right hand side.  But I don't use that.  That copies the whole entry.  I highlight the bit I want to quote and do a Ctrl C, then click on the icon at the top, next to the list icon, then do a Ctrl V
Title: Re: How many eggs?
Post by: Hilarysmum on June 16, 2009, 06:58:44 am
Thanks both.  Will try that next time.

Also please and this is a genuine question not meant to wind anyone up -

Please can anyone tell me how chicken eggs can carry foot and mouth? 
Title: Re: How many eggs?
Post by: shetlandpaul on June 16, 2009, 08:57:25 am
they can't. but as the rules are there to prevent  feeding the pigs meat they can only word it in a certain way if they exempted animal products of one kind someone would stretch it until they were feeding something unpleasant to them.
Title: Re: How many eggs?
Post by: Mr Pig on June 16, 2009, 09:26:23 am
I am not sure that that is the case. The relevant wording from the Defra publications is:

Eggs and egg-based products - Prohibited

Finished foods containing eggs, rennet or melted fat but where these are not the main ingredient—i.e. biscuits, bread, cakes, chocolate, pastry, sweets etc. - Prohibited from kitchens but acceptable from premises that do not handle meats or which have HACCP procedures in place to prevent cross-contamination.

Finished foods containing eggs where these are the main ingredient—i.e. quiche etc. - Prohibited.

These regulations relate not only to FMD and it may be that the restrictions on eggs is more to do with e-coli than FMD. However, it is clear that eggs are not just tied up with meats because they cannot be seperated by definition.


Title: Re: How many eggs?
Post by: shetlandpaul on June 16, 2009, 02:38:30 pm
i bow to mr pigs reading of the rules.
Title: Re: How many eggs?
Post by: doganjo on June 16, 2009, 08:27:59 pm
So the question remains - do eggs carry F & M?
Title: Re: How many eggs?
Post by: MrRee on June 16, 2009, 08:39:57 pm
Q. Can poultry or eggs carry the FMD virus?

A. No, eggs and poultry are not a risk for carrying the FMD virus.

Taken from US Department of Agriculture, APHIS, Veterinary Services. "Biosecurity on the Farm:Preventing Foot and Mouth and Other Diseases"
Title: Re: How many eggs?
Post by: doganjo on June 16, 2009, 10:41:54 pm
So the next question is ..............  Why do DEFRA think eggs ARE a risk?
Title: Re: How many eggs?
Post by: shetlandpaul on June 17, 2009, 09:27:31 am
anything to do with eggwina curry and her concerns of years back. on a separate note i was visited by the animal health bod wanting to check our pigs yesterday. he was very unhappy because we have none at the moment. if he was to have phoned he would have saved himself a trip of 70 miles. two inspections in a year. so be warned if they find kitchen waste in the pig pen your in trouble.
Title: Re: How many eggs?
Post by: tandb on June 18, 2009, 04:48:28 pm
Feeding of eggs to pigs is illigal in any part of europe, check defra site.
We live in France and I checked with dept of agricol inspector during her visit here couple of weeks ago, she asked 'are you wanting to cause / spread diseases'
Also check out what Tony York at Pigs Paradise says.....eggs in any form is a NO NO.
Just received pages of disease related stuff in post today...don't want anything else to have them worry us about.
Title: Re: How many eggs?
Post by: Hilarysmum on June 18, 2009, 06:58:15 pm
I do understand the rules BUT a local very large commercial elevage near us has a contract with the local biscuiterie to take all their waste biscuits and cakes. 

My own MSA rep says its ok and that its ok to feed eggs.  I dont understand why if eggs dont carry F&M which seems to be the big fear, why its ok to feed soft boiled or fried and runny to children and yet not to feed hard boiled to pigs. 
Title: Re: How many eggs?
Post by: shetlandpaul on June 18, 2009, 08:34:12 pm
its just going to be down to animal proten. next you won't be allowed to let them hunt bugs in the field.
Title: Re: How many eggs?
Post by: Hilarysmum on June 19, 2009, 09:12:29 am
And the EU are considering allowing animal protein back into pig feed.  Thats the day I stop buying commercial feed.
Title: Re: How many eggs?
Post by: MiriMaran on June 19, 2009, 09:05:10 pm
I think the Government have legislated in such an extreme way to take account of all the idiots and boundary pushers out there.  The best thing is to not analyse the whys and wherefors as its not worth the effort - rules are rules and its up to you whether you follow them.

As a newbie to pig keeping when you register DEFRA send you an information booklet about keeping pigs and it has very clear rules on what can and can't be fed so at least all new people have the information.