# How much feed per day



## nchobbyfarm (Apr 10, 2011)

I am new to pigs. I have 9 sows and barrows that are between 90 and 140 pounds. How much 12% feed should I feed per day to maximize growth to finish them out. I am going to keep 2 to top out for slaughter and sell and use the other 7 for barbecue pigs. Thanks for the input.


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## gerold (Jul 18, 2011)

nchobbyfarm said:


> I am new to pigs. I have 9 sows and barrows that are between 90 and 140 pounds. How much 12% feed should I feed per day to maximize growth to finish them out. I am going to keep 2 to top out for slaughter and sell and use the other 7 for barbecue pigs. Thanks for the input.


just give them all they can eat. You will soon find out how much they require.


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## highlands (Jul 18, 2004)

Free feed them. If you're feeding grain then give the candy in the later part of the day to encourage them to eat pasture if at all possible. See:

Feeding Hay | Sugar Mountain Farm


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## happymainepigs (Jul 19, 2011)

I feed 16% all they can eat plus pasture, veggies etc.


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## Lazy J (Jan 2, 2008)

nchobbyfarm said:


> I am new to pigs. I have 9 sows and barrows that are between 90 and 140 pounds. How much 12% feed should I feed per day to maximize growth to finish them out. I am going to keep 2 to top out for slaughter and sell and use the other 7 for barbecue pigs. Thanks for the input.


Free feed them, but you need to get a much better feed for them. A "12%" feed does not have the adequate Amino Acid profile to promote proper growth. You will have a fatter carcass, the pigs will be less efficient, and their growth rate will suffer.


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## nchobbyfarm (Apr 10, 2011)

Thanks to all. The local mill suggested that I move to the 12% that they call their "top hog" to finish them. I have gone and gotten 3 bags of purina pellet 16%. I am mixing half & half. Guess I will see what happens.


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## duckidaho (Dec 31, 2008)

Does anyone know of a non-medicated pig "starter" feed? I'm mostly feeding other things and will be pasturing them as soon as I can get the electric fence put up. I'd like to give them a little starter feed though in case there is something missing from their diet.

I'm currently feeding crushed barley soaked in goats milk, all purpose stock feed, and veggies from a local grocery.


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## Rogo (Jan 1, 2006)

Hay is always available. They also get whole oats, rolled barley, eggs from my poultry.

I avoid soy, wheat, corn, GMOs.

They roam free here, so don't just stand and eat. There's usually feed left when I go out to add more.

The AHH are doing just great!


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## Hagler's Farm (Jan 9, 2012)

Rogo said:


> Hay is always available. They also get whole oats, rolled barley, eggs from my poultry.
> 
> I avoid soy, wheat, corn, GMOs.
> 
> ...


Do you find that the whole oats just go right through them? That was what I found. Also why not wheat? Do you feed any sort of vitamins or minerals? I'm trying to get away from the premixes and get to a more natural diet. While currently my 2 bred gilts only have about 1/4 acre to range so they've pretty much eaten all the forrage, but still root and have access to the dirt. 

As for how much feed, I found my Herefords to averaged about 3.5lbs of feed/ lb of live weight up to 380lbs which was the last time I measured them. and it took them 8 1/2 months to reach that weight. I wouldn't be supprised at all if they're 450+lbs now at 11 months old. I fed them mostly about a 16% feed though I've been expirementing alittle with different feeds over that time. Right now my problem isn't trying to get them to gain weight, but to get them to NOT gain soo much. So I've been adding alfelfa pellets and hay to their diet. This is my first run though so I'm kinda shooting in the dark. The feed stores are little help as they pretty much just want to sell their own mixes and get weird when you start asking for different things.


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