[Rob Sargent]

We looking into getting some pigs ( 8-10 )in the new year and I trying to find out the costs of feeds etc.   I can find it in local shops in the small 25kg bags but its working out very expensive. Not sure where to look to buy in bulk ? Any help or info would be great . Fencing , housing etc we have under control but stuck on the feed 

Regard Rob

[Marches Farmer]

Phone around your local agricultural merchants.  Here in the Marches we have Countrywide, Wynnstay, R M Jones ....  If you're planning on keeping native breeds 16% protein sow & weaner nuts will be fine from weaning to finishing.

[Buffy the eggs layer]

Sow nuts are £6.38 from the mill here with a 10% discount if I buy them by the pallet. Carrots and fodder beet £20 a ton off field. Large round bale hay £20 and straw £10.


HTH

[farmers wife]

Feeding pigs is the most expensive it works out around £100 convential and £140 organic.  If you can bulk feeds with a mix of veg/whey etc then you can cut costs.


I have found B&W in Dorset excellent they deliver in 1tonne bags which works out cheaper.


Hi Peak foods good but more expensive.


Agree our local mill sold pig food very reasonable however it was not organic so it was GMO something I find seriously worrying in foods.


Please do your costings carefully.  Work out all overheads and dont forget labour, tagging, meds, transport, killing etc.  As much as I love pigs and the pork feeding ourselves is the only way we can justify the cost. Keep foods away from vermin etc.

[Rob Sargent]

Thanks for all the help there is a lot for us to think about it looks like we may just start with four weaners and see how we go ? I will be asking loads more questions in the future ??

[IretonsFarm]

An old chest freezer is a good water tight/ pest proof way of storing food, with a bit of planning they can normally be had for free too.

Depending where you are there should be a couple of agricultural places nearby who will sell pig feed in bags, if you want it delivered (from a mill as apposed to reseller) you will be needing to order 1t + a month to make it worth their while.

It might also be worth seeing if there is anyone local with pigs so you can pool your buying power with local suppliers?

If you are going down the traditional pig route then personally I wouldn't bother with any of the grower / finisher type feeds and use a standard sow nut as my experience has certainly been that traditional breeds respond to the higher energy feeds by just laying down more fat.

As far as brand goes we are using Massey Feeds with Old Spots and are very happy with the standard of carcass produced.

[Buffy the eggs layer]

Rob,


  do start with a couple of weaners and see how you get on. If you chose a fast growing breed then they will consume more than a slow maturing one but they will finish quicker. Having said that, if its for your own consumption you can butcher them whenever you like. You dont have to raise them to a particular weight.


Get them in spring if you can and butcher at the end of autumn as keeping them through winter in a muddy moras is no fun for everyone. Try and source allotment veg waste to supplement through summer if poss.

[hughesy]

I would agree. Definitely don't get 10 pigs if you're new to it. 10 pigs will consume about a 20kg bag every day when they're growing so the cost will add up quickly. Keeping the pigs shouldn't be a problem but you're going to need a plan in place to shift all that meat.

[Marches Farmer]

I know the original thread was on feed costs but have you a secure (and for pigs I mean really secure) area for them, a permanent water supply, shelter from wind, rain and sun and, in the case of pigs in a field, have you resigned yourself to it looking like a ploughed field within three days?  Do you have or can you borrow a trailer to take them to the abattoir, how are you going to load them, etc., etc.

[Aharrold]

What area of the UK are you based in?