The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Pigs => Topic started by: happyharry on March 16, 2016, 08:06:17 pm

Title: Introducing Creep - how do you do it ?
Post by: happyharry on March 16, 2016, 08:06:17 pm

So, how do you introduce creep feed ?
We've got Berkshires. I find that the piglets show little interest in creep until at least 3 weeks of age. I introduce is gradually and at about 4 weeks I offer creep pellets via an ad-lib hopper.
By 5 weeks they are really winding it in and, occasionally, one or two will get the sh..s from overindulging - which isn't ideal.
So, should I restrict the amount of creep, accept a slightly lower weaning weight, but save myself some money OR
should I offer creep ad-lib from 5 weeks ?
What do you do ?

Title: Re: Introducing Creep - how do you do it ?
Post by: SophieYorkshire on March 17, 2016, 07:27:11 am

What are you feeding your sow?

We give the sows 1/2 sow rolls and 1/2 growers once the weaners are a week old. Throw them on a clean bit of floor/concrete and the weaners can watch the sows eat, investigate and start having a taste. Ours all eat well from 3 weeks. Make sure they have access to fresh water too.

Title: Re: Introducing Creep - how do you do it ?
Post by: greenbeast on March 17, 2016, 10:18:07 am

We have no way of keeping the sows out of piglet food so we tend to mix and chuck it all into the pen, the piglets tend to like sow food and vice versa!

Title: Re: Introducing Creep - how do you do it ?
Post by: Marches Farmer on March 17, 2016, 10:23:28 am

I just feed 16% sow & weaner nuts twice a day to everything all year - the piglets dig in as they please.  If they're eating nuts it takes the lactation pressure off Mama and everything sorts itself out in the end.

Title: Re: Introducing Creep - how do you do it ?
Post by: harmony on March 17, 2016, 10:32:15 am

Different people do different things. If you are happy with your finished pigs why change your system?

Title: Re: Introducing Creep - how do you do it ?
Post by: happyharry on March 18, 2016, 09:01:09 pm

Quote from: SophieYorkshire on March 17, 2016, 07:27:11 am

What are you feeding your sow?

We give the sows 1/2 sow rolls and 1/2 growers once the weaners are a week old. Throw them on a clean bit of floor/concrete and the weaners can watch the sows eat, investigate and start having a taste. Ours all eat well from 3 weeks. Make sure they have access to fresh water too.

Sows get 16% sow rolls. They are brought inside to farrow but are moved to an arc at about 7 days after farrowing. At about 3 weeks I introduce creep pellets using a small home-made feeder -  behind an electric fence tape - so the piglets can get under but the sow can't. By 4-5 weeks the piglets get creep pellets from an ad-lib hopper. They are also eating some of the sow rolls but obviously the size of the roll limits intake.
I want to do the piglets as well as possible but my real concern is whether offering ad-lib creep is ideal (and it's also working out quite expensive)

Title: Re: Introducing Creep - how do you do it ?
Post by: hughesy on March 20, 2016, 11:48:45 am

Quote from: Marches Farmer on March 17, 2016, 10:23:28 am

I just feed 16% sow & weaner nuts twice a day to everything all year - the piglets dig in as they please.  If they're eating nuts it takes the lactation pressure off Mama and everything sorts itself out in the end.

Same here. Why complicate things.