Many people believe that pigs eat almost everything, not even disdaining dangerous products of plant and animal origin. They are truly omnivores, not picky about food and will be happy with anything they are given. But if you want to get high-quality meat, which will be in great demand among buyers, you should familiarize yourself with the feeding rules and follow them. Also monitor the diet of pets, develop it correctly and use only high-quality feed and products.
Diet features
Wild pigs are close relatives of livestock and are very dangerous animals. In addition to plant products, they prefer meat, fish, and do not refuse to hunt small animals and even people who carefreely walk through the forest, picking mushrooms. Bones are a source of calcium for wild animals. They hunt rats, birds, insects, and do not refuse plant foods in the form of berries, flowers, grain, and mushrooms. They love fish and other aquatic inhabitants, so they have adapted to swim skillfully. Pigs are good at digging holes and finding plant roots.
Therefore, on farms it is necessary to properly prepare the diet, not forgetting that pigs need a moderate amount of coarse fiber. When developing it, the main thing is to keep in mind the standards for the type and breed of pigs, and individual characteristics.
Types of feeding
There is a classification of feeding types depending on the consistency of the feed. It is important to stick to the same type, without changing it throughout the animal’s feeding.
Dry
Dry nutrition involves the use of combined feeds and concentrates exclusively in unsoaked form. Typically, grain-based mixtures are used.
Advantages of this feeding method:
- does not spoil due to lack of moisture and is consumed whole by animals without residue;
- can be stored for a long time;
- removes unpleasant odor from pig feces;
- helps to quickly raise piglets.
Important! Give pigs more water and make sure that it is always in the drinking bowl, otherwise difficult digestion will lead to disorders in the digestive system and constipation.
Liquid
The liquid type of nutrition is focused on serving mixtures, stews and dairy products. This method allows you to save money, since waste is most often used for cooking.If this technology is used, the animal will gain weight poorly, grow slowly and maintain weight.
You can prepare the nutritional mass yourself using vitamin and mineral supplements, 10 g per 1 kg of finished feed.
Wet
Most often, pig farmers use the classic type of feeding - wet. It involves preparing the so-called mash. Food waste, milk, concentrates, vegetables, and herbs are used for preparation. This method is economical and better than liquid because it is more balanced and nutritious. Pigs receive sufficient quantities of proteins, fats and carbohydrates, as a result of which they gain weight.
Important! It is worth remembering that such food quickly deteriorates, so regularly clean the feeder from scraps and wash it.
Types of feeding
The preparation of complete diets must be justified. First, decide what the pig is raised for and what you ultimately want to get: meat or lard.
For meat
Meat fattening technology is divided into the following types:
- Low intensity. The weight gain is insignificant; before slaughter, a one-year-old animal weighs from 90 to 100 kg. This type has the advantage that little cost is spent on feeding. Most often used when growing at home, with a small farm. In this case, the meat turns out to be of low quality.
- Intensive. The weight gain is significant. At the age of 1 year, the weight of the pig exceeds 120 kg, that is, 20% more than the previous type. Feed for such nutrition is more expensive, but the original product is of excellent quality if the diet is followed. Thanks to this type, you can raise a pig in 6 months.
- Bacon. To get high-quality bacon, juicy and soft pork, the meat must contain a lot of muscle mass and a thin layer of fat.Piglets for this complementary feeding are selected according to special criteria. They should be healthy, have thin skin, a straight torso and belly without fatty sagging. The pig should have a strong back and plenty of fat and muscle from the nape to the tail. Fattening is divided into several stages; the animal should eat about 750 g per day.
For meat and fat productivity
When choosing piglets, you should give preference to those with well-developed chest and back parts, since it is in these places that a large amount of fat can accumulate. From one pig you can get from 1 to 5 kg of fat, sometimes lard with layers is formed. Do not bring the pig to a weight of more than 105 kg, because when this indicator increases, it will begin to get fat, and the fat may become loose, lose its shape and deteriorate.
For lard productivity, fattening on mixed feed and food waste is considered effective. This food is considered natural, which has a positive effect on the quality of lard.
To obtain products of the highest quality, you need to use special tables that indicate the exact feeding ration. There are also budget table options for medium and low quality meats.
What foods can you feed?
When preparing a diet, it is important to take into account the amount of products, their composition and method of preparation so that pigs grow quickly. Among the mandatory sources of calories on the menu should be the following food groups:
- Vegetables. Carrots, beets, and pumpkins are pigs' favorite foods. It is recommended to serve them grated. It is better to pre-cook potatoes and combine them with grain for greater nutritional value.
- Roughage.The pig eats hay with pleasure, since this product improves the functioning of the digestive system and is well absorbed by the body. Before use, pre-soak the food in boiling water.
- Cereals. The best product for fattening due to its high nutritional value, therefore its consumption should be greater than other types of food. Before serving, rinse, grind and boil.
- Pig loves greens, but first you need to chop the grass, excluding dry stems, which can harm the animal’s gastrointestinal tract.
- Combisilos. It includes beets, carrots, cabbage, legume leaves, the composition may vary. Pigs eat this complex with pleasure. An excellent option for quick bait. The main thing is not to overdo it and not bring the animal to fatty conditions.
To get high-quality meat and lard, you need to feed the pig high-quality and natural products.
What should you not give to pigs?
Even though pigs are omnivores, junk food can negatively impact their health and the overall quality of their meat. It is worth studying several groups of products that are prohibited for consumption by animals:
- Plants containing alkaloids and other harmful substances, which can cause severe poisoning and even death. These include horse dill, black nightshade, caustic buttercup, milkweed, and dog parsley.
- Avoid using green or overgrown potatoes. Such tubers contain toxic substances in high concentrations. It is also prohibited to serve water in which potatoes were boiled.
- Pickles. An overdose of salt in the body leads to the death of the animal.
It is strictly not recommended to feed your animal products that have traces of mold and other fungi, as well as parasites.
Useful tips for fattening
When feeding pigs, follow the advice of experienced farmers:
- To obtain high-quality lard in large quantities, it is important to ensure that the pig moves less. It is not recommended to completely restrict movements, but to reduce the activity of the animal.
- Use natural and high-quality food for complementary feeding. Do not use growth stimulating additives or hormones - they will negatively affect the quality of the meat.
- More often give mineral-protein complexes, which contain many vitamins and minerals.
- Pigs can digest any food. It is advisable to combine products of plant and animal origin to balance the menu.
When starting fattening, you should follow the advice of experienced pig breeders to get a quality product.
