The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Pigs => Topic started by: Jackie 2 on February 13, 2013, 04:10:34 pm

Title: Finisher feeds?
Post by: Jackie 2 on February 13, 2013, 04:10:34 pm

Husband just asked me if there is such a feed for pigs as a finisher feed?


 I use finisher for chickens and turkeys but never thought about pigs??


I currently feed sow and weaner food.

Title: Re: Finisher feeds?
Post by: Bionic on February 13, 2013, 04:27:01 pm

Jackie, I feed sow and weaner nuts until the end but then I am a complete novice.
I am sure one of the experts will be along shortly
Sally

Title: Re: Finisher feeds?
Post by: ppd on February 13, 2013, 05:17:06 pm

 :wave: I'm no expert either but you can go along the weaner, grower then finisher, but to honest I am just going to stick to the sow and weaner this time. As far as I can see that is what a lot of people do.
But as Sally said there will be lots more in the know to help
Pauline

Title: Re: Finisher feeds?
Post by: oaklandspigs on February 13, 2013, 05:20:16 pm

Jackie,
 
If you're trying to "speed finish" your pigs, then work through the various feeds for different ages, and a finisher will help.
 
If you just enjoying your pigs, then sow and weaner will do fine.  We grow all our fattener pigs on this.
 
 

Title: Re: Finisher feeds?
Post by: HappyHippy on February 13, 2013, 05:22:26 pm

Ditto everybody else  ;)

I always think finisher feeds are designed for commercial pigs/enterprises, we use sow & weaner all the way through with no ill effects  :thumbsup:
HTH
Karen

Title: Re: Finisher feeds?
Post by: Hassle on February 13, 2013, 06:29:34 pm

Rare breads turn excess protein into fat, that's why they are rare  ... a bit like me (must be rare!) commercial breeds are fattened earlier and kept inside a controlled environment.

Title: Re: Finisher feeds?
Post by: Jackie 2 on February 13, 2013, 08:19:20 pm

Ill just leave my rare breeds on sow and weaner then. Thanks :)

Title: Re: Finisher feeds?
Post by: jellybean on February 16, 2013, 02:56:25 am

yes there is a finisher feed and many of them around.  Can be made out of most grains but a combination of grains not just one grain. it is a waste to feed just sow feed or weaner feed to a pig just to make it fat or skinny or slow in growth if you are selling for meat.  Weaner to 20 kg 18% protein, grower to 50 kg 16 % protein, finisher to 80 kg 14% protein, change of feed to finisher from 80 - 90  kg to more wheat. less oats, more lupins 15% protein.

Title: Re: Finisher feeds?
Post by: Jackie 2 on February 16, 2013, 04:24:36 am

Thank you :)

Title: Re: Finisher feeds?
Post by: Marches Farmer on February 16, 2013, 11:16:52 am

Growers we're slaughtering for ourselves get a soaked, milled wheat & barley mix for the final month of finishing, starting at 50g per feed and ending up at 300g.  We find this gives GOS around 1.5cm of fat and very good crackling, but I guess it'll depend on how they've been fed so far as well as the breed.