Feeding pigs
The pig is omnivorous and can eat meat and plants. The digestive
system of the pig can also use bulky feeds containing a lot of roughage.
Pigs must have plenty of clean, fresh water every day. |
Learning objectives
After studying this unit you should know:
1 What types of feed to give pigs.
2 How often you will need to feed pigs.
3 How and when to wean piglets.
The types of feed to give to pigs
Pigs will eat anything. They will eat grass and all types of
plants. They can be kept in a well fenced field where they will eat all
of the plants and grass there. The pig not only eats the green parts of
plants but will also dig into the ground and eat all the roots. A pig
with a nose ring cannot root up plants.
The pig's eating habit can be used by man. If a pig is put in a field it will clear it, plough it and fertilise it.
Pig's will grow and get fat more quickly if they are fed
concentrate feed. Grain which has been well ground into meal is a good
feed. Waste vegetables and household scraps can also be given to pigs.
Household scraps, especially those containing meat, must be well boiled
(pig swill) before being given to the pig.
The pig must always be able to drink fresh clean water. A sow with young will need 20 - 30 litres of water a day.
The types of feed to give to pigs
How often will a pig need feeding?
Pigs can be kept in a sty when they will need to be fed twice a
day with one feed in the morning and one in the evening. Pigs in the
field can be offered meal once a day or given extra feed, e.g. vegetable
waste or swill, when it is available.
Weaning
Piglets show an interest in solid feed when they are 1 or 2 weeks
old. They can be offered a handful of cereal, sugar or powdered milk to
start with. Piglets will take milk from the mother until they are about
7 weeks old. They will gradually take less milk and eat more solid feed
until they are weaned. Piglets in the field will naturally start to eat
solid feed but it must be offered to those that are housed. The young
animals need to be gradually given new feed to avoid digestive problems.
Remember that a pig should rush to eat its feed. Lack of
interest in feed is a sign of ill health and you will need to look at
the animal to determine the cause of health problems.