The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Pigs => Topic started by: holz306 on April 19, 2012, 10:38:56 pm
-
...more questions from me! What do you feed your new weaners - i got my Boyfriends father to pick up some pig feed for me when he was in town, in preperation for the piglet collection on saturday.... He got Harbro's Weaner pellets - £11.10 per bag....is this the right thing to give them, and when would they go on to a growers ration? The piggies range from 5-9weeks old, depending on which ones we choose. :pig:
-
£444 per ton they will need to do well on this feed 5 weeks is to small to get them ideally they need to be at least 8 weeks old and separated from mother before collection
8 weeks they will be eating there mothers food at 5 weeks they will just be able to feed on nuts
i take it they are 22% protein in small pellet form
we just feed them sow nuts/rolls saves a lot of faffing about and the small pellets get lost and tramped into the ground :farmer:
-
So really i should take the bag of feed back, and get a bag of sow nuts instead, and only go for older weaners from his collection? Having only spoken to him on the phone, he said he had at least 30 to choose from, and that was the age range he gave (if they look too young or small, i definately won't take them!)....i just wasn't sure if they could go straight on to sow nuts when i got them?
-
http://www.molevalleyfarmers.com/mvf/info/smallholders/Pig_Feed (http://www.molevalleyfarmers.com/mvf/info/smallholders/Pig_Feed)
in the bit in this link about the feed guide - is this accurate? ie, one porker would eat 100kgs?
-
more than that. If you say 4lb a day thats 28lb a week and you will have them for about 18 weeks thats 504lb which is 229 kg. Pigs eat a lot and cost a lot to feed. :wave:
-
pigs do eat a lot they just dont fatten on fresh air
you want them finnishing in the shortest time costing you the least :farmer:
-
I would say that 5 weeks old is way too young to be away from mum :-\
As others have said, to get off to a flying start in life they really need to be with mum til around 8 weeks and then seperate for a good few days before they leave to make sure they're eating, drinking and developing normally - my weaners don't usually leave here til 10 weeks old.
I'd take a bag of whatever the breeder is feeding, and gradually swap them onto whatever you're going to feed - this will reduce the chance of scour or problems coming from a suden change of diet.
I'd expect each weaner to eat around 250Kg of food from weaning to finishing (except Kunekunes) and by the time you add in bedding, slaughter & butchery fee's and any 'incidentals' you're likely to be looking at a cost of roundabout £250 per pig.
HTH
Karen
-
Berkshire Boy,
unless I am mistaken it doesn't come to 540lb as they don't eat 4lb a day all the time.
I thought it was about 1.5lb at 8 weeks and 2.5lb at 12 weeks etc..
Can someone confirm I am correct as I pick up my weaners in 2 weeks time and don't want to starve them.
Sally
-
For Gods sake people get a grip, if you're going to get piglets get a good pig manual and read the bloody thing! ::) >:(
A pound of feed per month of age so at 8wks they need 2lb, 3lb at 12wks, 4lb at 16wks and so on upto 6lb but you may find the max too much depending on breed and stay at around 5lb particularly if they're getting extras by way of fruit and veg.
Simples
Start them on a grower at 8wks then gradullly mix in sow/weaner nuts as they grow, don't take pigs at 5wks or i'll bray your lugs! >:(
Mandy :pig:
-
Hi BIonic
I was only working on an average, on average they will eat about 4lb a day over their life.
If you're not careful Mandy you will blow a gasket. I must agree with you though, there are too many basic questions on here that show people do no research before they buy pigs.
The forum is a wonderful thing but people must read up on what is involved before hand and not come running on here after the event. How many times do you see - I picked up my weaners this morning what should I feed them or whatever.
-
Good god mandy, calm down - i posted the link because i was sure it was incorrect and wanted someone in the know to clarify, thats all!! Everyone on here has been great saying how much they give them etc - and i'm aware they eat a lot. My question was what to feed at what stage, i have to buy my feed before collecting the pigs as the store shuts at 12am on saturdays - basically, do i put them onto a weaner feed or a grower feed to start with, that was all!! whilst its all very good to read a manual, you can't beat getting first hand knowledge from experienced people! ::)
-
p.s - i promise i won't take any 5week old weaners....and i'll keep you updated on what i get, and whats available there.
-
Good to hear Holz, sorry bit grumpy been up all night with poorly 5wks old piglet, found her outside comatose and blue yesterday after i finished work and in all that cold & rain we had, spent nearly 3hrs in vets warming her thro and rehydrating and then all night with her in my lap on the settee much to dog's and OH's disgust/depsair. She much better this morning think mum had flung her out the feed trough into wall and knocked stuffing out of her.
mandy :pig:
-
Just to add I have two pig manuals, Haynes and Getting Started in Pig Keeping - both read cover to cover. I have also been on a pig keeping course. All of this done BEFORE I get my weaners.
The books give conflicting information on how much to feed and when Berkshire Boy came up with yet a different amount I queried it.
Sally
-
Good Sally glad to hear you've been doing your homework.
I think the confusion arises when some books give kilos and some give pounds. 2.2lb=1kg and work on different ages. I base 1 month = 4wks regardless and ork in pounds and so on. Minly coz i'm a grumpy auld mare ;D
HTh
Mandy :pig:
-
we feed harbro weaners no problem. if u buy in bulk it is cheaper, or get from east coast viners cheaper still. at 4 months move to growers.
;D :wave:
-
On the buying in bulk subject....
Yes, there's no doubt it's cheaper to buy it by the tonne - but unless you're going to use it all within 2-3 months you'll end up with stuff that's out of date and about as much use as a chocolate teapot :-\
I think it's normally a 3 month best before date, but just double check the bags or with the supplier so you don't end up having to chuck feed away ;)
Karen :wave:
Mandy - we love ya even when you're grumpy :-* :bouquet:
How's the piglet doing now?
-
Mandy just cannot be as grumpy as Lillian a bag of snakes does not even come near it
a ton is the minimum that most will deliver that can be made up of anything to the ton
even if a group are buying and getting a drop of at one location that will save you money
but do have it in vermin proof containers :farmer:
-
Mandy just cannot be as grumpy as Lillian a bag of snakes does not even come near it
BUT Robert, Mandy hasn't just stopped smoking, nor does she need to put up live with you ;) :D :D :-*
-
with our feed supplier, a tonne can include pony feed or chicken feed...if that helps.
-
Berkshire Boy,
unless I am mistaken it doesn't come to 540lb as they don't eat 4lb a day all the time.
I thought it was about 1.5lb at 8 weeks and 2.5lb at 12 weeks etc..
Can someone confirm I am correct as I pick up my weaners in 2 weeks time and don't want to starve them.
Sally
You're absolutely right, Sally, and I nearly posted to this effect. (Spooky how similar Sallys can be... :)) But when I worked out the difference in the overall total it was so minor I let it ride! :D
I feed my OSBs and OSB x's a little less than 1lb per month of age per pig per day, up to a maximum of just less than 4lbs a day. I use an empty dog food tin - the largest size - as a measure; it holds about 1lb 10oz of cake. Each pig[let] gets one of those per day per 8 weeks of age, up to a maximum of two tins per day in summer when outdoors with forage and a bit of fruit / veg. (They get more in winter and cold wet weather.)
If you can see the line of the muscle that lies over the ribs, you've got their condition bang on. If you can't, they're too fat. Have a look at some of Karen's pics for examples of pigs in perfect condition.
-
All the wonderful Sallys,
I wasn't saying feed at 4lb a day it was just an average to show that they eat more than 100 kg in their life as holz306 had asked.
Mine are fed upto about 5lb a day at their oldest so that averages 4lb overall.
A bit of common sence needs to be used, feeding all depends on the breed, the feed etc etc etc.
-
Thanks Sally.
The dog food tin sounds a good idea. I only have smaller tins myself but will weigh out the amount it takes and adjust the number of tins accordingly.
Berkshire Boy,
I usually have lots of common sense but feel like a first time mum, uncertain of what I am doing (I don't even have them yet). I am sure it will all work out fine once we get used to each other.
thanks
Sally
-
common sense and be prepared to adjust one sow is fed 9 kilos a day when lactating and still goes skeletal
always check there dung soft and slobbery they are getting to much :farmer:
-
Being a real newbie with pig(lets).
Even though Blinkers gave me a guide to how much my piggies would eat i found they didn't eat as much at the start, less than the 450kg each sugested at 8 weeks, possible because they were too busy digging up my beautiful lush grass chicken pen (temporary accomadation) and finding allsorts of 'what ever piggies find to eat in the dirt'.
They have 2.5 scoops each twice a day now but only if they clear it up with in 30mins of putting it in the trough (think some goes to the birds) otherwise I cut it down/put it up depending if they clear it up, haven't actually measured how much they are having now, just go by how quickly they clear it up; with boiled spud and a bit of bread and any vegies/apples etc at lunch time as an extra. Night time when i shut them in they get another 'clover butter' tub of nuts.
They seem happy enough - digging, playing, lying about in the sun or out of the wind in their shed, putting on weight, don't think they are too fat - will check what Sallyinthenorth said about the fat over the ribcage - and their poos are normal.
I'm sure they would let me know if they aren't getting enough. :pig: :pig: :pig:
-
For Gods sake people get a grip, if you're going to get piglets get a good pig manual and read the bloody thing! ::) >:(
A pound of feed per month of age so at 8wks they need 2lb, 3lb at 12wks, 4lb at 16wks and so on upto 6lb but you may find the max too much depending on breed and stay at around 5lb particularly if they're getting extras by way of fruit and veg.
Simples
Start them on a grower at 8wks then gradullly mix in sow/weaner nuts as they grow, don't take pigs at 5wks or i'll bray your lugs! >:(
Mandy :pig:
Go for it Mandy ;D
Just to add - if it's Kune Kune, at least halve the guidance! :love: :pig: :love:
-
I try to wean mine on to sow rolls by week 5-6. Before that they get a warm porridge mix of sow rolls and hot water, which they seem to love.
I find that East Coast Viners are the best for bulk deliveries (to the Highlands) and a 1 ton load can be a mix of pig, duck, hen food.
I'm appalled that a breeder would let anyone buy a piglet at 5 weeks old. Whether it's weaned or not!!!
Here's some pics of my very clever Saddleback 'Bertha' after giving birth to 13 piggies. Unfortunately only 10 survived with one of them being bottle fed by my 'trouble-and-strife' and kept under a heat lamp on our dining room table until it was on it's feet and ready to go back to Bertha. ;D