[upthetump]

hi all. i need some advice on my pigs. i have 2 welsh longback/old spot crossed boars and 2 welsh longback/tamworth crossed boars. they are 23 and 21 weeks old respectively. they are on maintenance feed of 1.4 kg pig rolls a day but we are struggling to find any extra feed. last year we had an abundance of apples and other fruits to supplement their diet, but this year nothing due to widespread fruit tree crop failure. i'm worried about over feeding pellets as they may have too much fat and worried about under feeding them and losing weight. a lot of food iwas going to grow eg weetcorn have had desperate harvests. anyone else in the same boat? any advice welcome.

[Fowgill Farm]

Well to me looking at their ages they're not far off going to the butchers (we send at roughly 24wks). 1.4kg(3lb) seems very stingy poor things must be starving (most keepers work on the 1lb of food per month of age so at 23weeks yours should be on full rations 5lbish) my reckoning is that2kg per day is a good steady maintenance ration. We get horse carrots from the ag merchants for our pigs and we also ask around locally for windfalls(not many this year)and for allottment/veg garden suplus stuff. Some people also feed silage/haylage (but make sure its not mouldy/dusty) Lots ofpigs just get fed on regular pig food so i wouldn't worry unduly especially if they're outside free ranging.
Really depends how much longer you're going to keep them.
Mandy

[upthetump]

hi Mandy thanks for that, they are due to go 2 weeks monday. they have a large area to free range in, lots of fern, bracken etc (about 1/4 acre) and are very active. im concerned that they are getting hungry as the glut of apples we had last year has not materialised this year (my bramley had 1 apple on it). i was using a guide for feeding published by Liz Shankland, but i think 2kgs will be good as they are working hard on the ground so maybe not too much fat will result?

[kja]

i agree with mandy they need at least 4lb hard feed a day tokeep them going we usually feed upto 5lb and 2-4 weeks prior to slaugher cut them back to 4lb depending on how they look.

[upthetump]

thanks for that. 1 tamworthx is fat, 1 small. 2 old spotx are good size and all muscle. will up feed as advised tho. thanks

[Fowgill Farm]

Glad to help
I think Liz's ration guide is for stock pigs, theres a few of mine could do with a dose of the slim fast route.
Sure you'll have some super pork.
All the best
mandy

[upthetump]

fingers crossed. we had 2 tamworth/old spot crosses last year which were delicious. the longback crosses are much better animals. the longback/old spot have got muscles like arnold schwarzeneger 

[Bobforrangerpigs]

Hi
[/size]
[/size]Full grown Pigs 2.5 - 3.0 Kgs per pig per day of good quality pig food protein 16% - 17% should suffice,
[/size]
[/size]Bob @ www.rangerpigs.com

[Hassle]

If your meat packs are available every month and typically sell out long before they're available. and the next meat packs will be available in October 2012 so pre-order yours now to make sure you don't miss out! you might want to edit that