# feeding oats



## Menglish (May 7, 2009)

I've been mixing my pig pellets with whole oats since I got them. I notice that a fair amount of the oats seem to "pass through" undigested. Can't say that I've done more than look but I have noticed them nosing through them and eating out the undigested ones. 

My question is would there be any advantage of rolling or crimping them? If so what's a good starter unit...read cheap!!! 

Mike


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## Riverdale (Jan 20, 2008)

Menglish said:


> I've been mixing my pig pellets with whole oats since I got them. I notice that a fair amount of the oats seem to "pass through" undigested. Can't say that I've done more than look but I have noticed them nosing through them and eating out the undigested ones.
> 
> My question is would there be any advantage of rolling or crimping them? If so what's a good starter unit...read cheap!!!
> 
> Mike


I would guess rolled.

How the little piggies doing?

Going to try to get to see you in the next couple of weeks.


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## olivehill (Aug 17, 2009)

Mike, you're not far from me are you? I'm trying to remember. Best practice would probably be to grind them, but it's not always feasible at home. You can take them to the mill and have them ground for a very nominal fee though. If my memory isn't junk and you are near me and you are interested in that option shoot me a PM and I'll tell you of one place I know that does it and what the cost is.  

Assuming here you're using them because you've got a big bulk supply of them. If you're buying them from the mill to begin with, just ask them to grind them for you before you pick them up.


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## linn (Jul 19, 2005)

Have you tried soaking your oats or grinding them? If whole corn is fed to hogs or cow, a lot of it will pass through the digestive system without the animal getting the good out of it.


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## Menglish (May 7, 2009)

Riverdale I'm not too far from you. In fact I went past Riverdale just last Saturday. I coach basketball at the local highschool here and the junior high girls played in a tournament over at Vestaburg. Come on over...hopefully have a litter due here pretty soon.

Olivehill, I'm west of 127 about 10 miles just off of 57. I think you are right and we are fairly close. I buy oats at a local feed store but I don't know if they can grind or roll fo rme. I could soak them...never thought of that.


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## Rogo (Jan 1, 2006)

I fed crimped oats since they're more digestible, but my AHH don't like oats. Rolled barley yes, oats no! -G-


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## Mare Owner (Feb 20, 2008)

I feed whole oats. Grinding them costs more money and labor/time than it's worth to me. I have chickens, ducks, geese, turkey, and guineas that clean up around the pigs so not much goes to waste.


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## Menglish (May 7, 2009)

Thanks Mareowner!


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## agmantoo (May 23, 2003)

Menglish

Start making a "slop" by souring the oats by soaking them in water a few days in advance of feeding the oats. Add the pig pellets at the time of feeding and stir before pouring the "slop" to the pig.


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## Menglish (May 7, 2009)

Thanks I'll give that a try as soon as it quits getting below freezing here. Only 30 this morning but just a week ago we were down to 8 above 0. Don't really want a 5 gallon bucket of soured outs in the house! LOL


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## olivehill (Aug 17, 2009)

Careful they don't get too sour as well, at least with the young ones. I know of at least one AGH owner that lost young pigs to soured slop.


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## Riverdale (Jan 20, 2008)

Menglish said:


> Riverdale I'm not too far from you. In fact I went past Riverdale just last Saturday. I coach basketball at the local highschool here and the junior high girls played in a tournament over at Vestaburg. Come on over...hopefully have a litter due here pretty soon.
> 
> Olivehill, I'm west of 127 about 10 miles just off of 57. I think you are right and we are fairly close. I buy oats at a local feed store but I don't know if they can grind or roll fo rme. I could soak them...never thought of that.


Cool, I'll drop you a note. 

I'll check with Steve (here at the Riverdale elevator) and see if they would roll or grind oats (we get out feed through there).

And if you came acrossed Lincoln Road between Alma and Lumberjack, you came by the house, like right in front of it


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## Fisch (Jan 6, 2010)

Menglish, what kind of hogs do you raise? I am just south of Merrill, western Saginaw County. Our feed guy at our elevator here suggested not feeding oats as they act as a laxative. Any truth to that anybody?


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## Fisch (Jan 6, 2010)

Likewise, Riverdale, what type of hogs are you running? I am always on the look out for good feeder suppliers locally, though I did find some good ones last year just north of me. They were York/Hamp/Duroc crosses and finished out very nicely.


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## Menglish (May 7, 2009)

Fisch, I'm in my second year of raising American Guinea Hogs. If it's a laxative you couldn't tell it by my pigs. I took the advice of some who raise them as far as feeding them and it has worked well for me. Oh I'm just a bit south of you...Meridian road north of M57. Do most of my shopping etc in Sheilds and travel through Merril all the time. Sure miss Greta's restaurant there! LOL


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## Riverdale (Jan 20, 2008)

Fisch said:


> Likewise, Riverdale, what type of hogs are you running? I am always on the look out for good feeder suppliers locally, though I did find some good ones last year just north of me. They were York/Hamp/Duroc crosses and finished out very nicely.


We don't have hogs (right now). Hope (in a year or two) to have a couple for our own consumption. I do know a good butcher in Elwell, tho 

South of Merrill? I am on Lincoln (turns into Swan Creek in Saginaw Co.).

Maybe run into you at a St Louis small animal swap


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## springvalley (Jun 23, 2009)

Oats are a wonderful feed, and as some have allready said here it is best to roll, grind or soak them first. And many small elevators use to roll oats on a regular basis, but as times have changed, so have the elevators. Some don`t use their rollers any more, as not much call for them. Good Luck. > Thanks Marc


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## Mare Owner (Feb 20, 2008)

Oats as a laxative? Never heard that. No evidence of that in my hogs.


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## Menglish (May 7, 2009)

Riverdale said:


> We don't have hogs (right now). Hope (in a year or two) to have a couple for our own consumption. I do know a good butcher in Elwell, tho
> 
> South of Merrill? I am on Lincoln (turns into Swan Creek in Saginaw Co.).
> 
> Maybe run into you at a St Louis small animal swap


I get up to St. Louis a couple of times a summer. Love to go early and then sneak over to Big Boys and have the breakfast buffet and read a paper. That combo is truly a luxury for me!


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## Riverdale (Jan 20, 2008)

Menglish said:


> I get up to St. Louis a couple of times a summer. Love to go early and then sneak over to Big Boys and have the breakfast buffet and read a paper. That combo is truly a luxury for me!


See you the 16th of April for the small animal swap?

Talked to Steve over here at Riverdale feeds, They don't roll oats


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## Menglish (May 7, 2009)

My schedule says April 9th? If nothing comes up I'll probably be there. 

My feed store can get them in but they are twice the price of whole oats. Think I'm gonna do some experimenting in the next few weeks. 

Looks like Aunt Jemimah didn't catch the first time around so we are still a couple of weeks away from piglets from her.


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## RW kansas hogs (Nov 19, 2010)

We are thinking about adding 200lbs of Oats to our feed for the pigs, We grind/mix our own feed and i was told that ground oats is like flour, I dont think it will make a difference in the taste of the feed. Any body grind your oats for pigs? 
We mix by the ton, So it would be 1,775lbs corn & 200lbs oats & 25LBS sea kelp 

Ideas, Input, Or just share what you mix


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## Lazy J (Jan 2, 2008)

RW kansas hogs said:


> We are thinking about adding 200lbs of Oats to our feed for the pigs, We grind/mix our own feed and i was told that ground oats is like flour, I dont think it will make a difference in the taste of the feed. Any body grind your oats for pigs?
> We mix by the ton, So it would be 1,775lbs corn & 200lbs oats & 25LBS sea kelp
> 
> Ideas, Input, Or just share what you mix


I like using oats in nursery pig rations as te starch is quite digestible and the fiber helps with gut health. I also use it in Show Pig rations, it helps with bloom. In these rations I use steam rolled oats, the steam flaking greatly improves digestiblity of the oats.

What are you using for a protein source when you mix feed? The mix you posted isn't going to be much good for any pig.

Jim


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## RW kansas hogs (Nov 19, 2010)

We use a protein mix ( just had a major brain fart and i cant remember the brand). 
There is 2 types we get, 1 for the weaners & growers (pellets) and another is for the Sows (pre-ground). We grind the pellets with the corn because we found out that the pellets are heavier than the ground corn and fall out to the side of the feeder when we fill the feeder, Basicly the pigs had to eat there way thru the pellets to get to the corn. We use the big round feeders.


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## RW kansas hogs (Nov 19, 2010)

I forgot to ask you Jim what your opinion is on grinding oats for pigs, I can get oats by the ton at the local co-op but they arent steamed, Or crimped. There just oats. 
I can get steamed crimped oats in 50lb bags from orschlen's for $12.42 a bag or buy the plain ole oats for $263 a ton. 
I do need help on this one because this what we plan feeding our pigs, If i can get disstillers grain locally we mite use it to


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