# Alternative feed for pigs



## stifflej (Aug 11, 2008)

Thinking of getting some feeder pigs to raise soon, I did see in another post someone mention about 700lbs of feed to get it to butcher weight of about 250. The question is, do any of you feed your pigs table scraps to cut down on costs of the feed? I would also have an abundance of garden scraps (including corn stocks), would they make good supplemental feed as well? My dad tells me that when he was a kid, they fed a lot of these scraps to the pigs, just wondering if it would cause any problems or not.

Thanks.


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## Jaclynne (May 14, 2002)

We have not bought one cent in feed for our three hogs. Yes, they are a little behind gain schedule for commercially fed hogs, but they are healthy, happy, active and best of all CHEAP. 

We feed free corn tortilla shells, garden wastes, extra eggs, grass clippings, and the gleanings from 2 freezers that were accidently unplugged and refrozen. Garden waste includes spent/damaged veggies and plants. They love pea vines.

Yesterday, the young man we bought our feeders from was by here and saw them, he was quite impressed at their health and size using no bought feed. It's working for us.

Halo


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## Rowena (Feb 7, 2008)

Our two are feed a universal feed mixture of corn, molasses pellets etc, but we supplement with anything and everything, but meat. Our local pig lady said it only puts fat on them, don't know if this is true or not just going by her advice since this is our first time. They have had a hearty diet supplemented from plenty of fruit from the trees, let the zucchini get nice and big for them, they absolutely love the grapes and the neighbors even brought over some old frozen fruit and stuff and they thought that was the bomb!! They eat all our leftovers, except meat. I even pulled out the old canned pickeles and have been giving them those, but only one can a day because of the high sodium. 

I purchase my feed for $90 for a huge trash can full that she delivers, and she thinks it is around 500-600 pounds. I go through one a month now for the two pigs (now 4 1/2 months old) and 20 chickens. I was paying $50.00 a month just for chicken feed so this is a deal for us here in So. California. 

Good luck.


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## Rogo (Jan 1, 2006)

When in hard times and alternative feeds are fed, the critters do just fine. I've read how during the depression of the 1930's potatoes were fed to cattle to get them thru it. In the west, Prickly Pear cactus was tossed into a fire to burn off the stickers. When cool, the critters ate the cactus.

I think a lot of folks today are brainwashed into buying bagged feed and many types of supplements for all critters. As long as you're getting the results you want and the critters are healthy, what you're doing can't be wrong! I've found experimenting quite helpful.


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## FL.Boy (Dec 17, 2007)

Rogo said:


> I think a lot of folks today are brainwashed into buying bagged feed and many types of supplements for all critters. As long as you're getting the results you want and the critters are healthy, what you're doing can't be wrong! I've found experimenting quite helpful.


I think Rogo hit the nail right on the head. I have 3 pigs all over 200 lbs. and go thought only about 150 lbs of feed a month but I'm working on getting that down to none with forage crops.


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## steff bugielski (Nov 10, 2003)

We are in an are where there are hundreds of summer camps. I get food from many of them for the pigs. I have not payed a cent for food since May. I feed everything but meat. The bakery also drops off stuff. they love dough nuts.


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## Ronney (Nov 26, 2004)

I too think Rogo has hit the nail on the head. Our forefathers kept pigs because they cleaned up the waste from the house and crops and went on to provide good meat over the winter months. Time we started to do the same. Some people must pay out more in feed than it would have cost to have bought the pig from the supermarket.

I not only rear pigs for our table, I also breed them and sows, boars, growers are 95% scrap fed, including meat. Meat doesn't put on fat but it is a good source of protein. I also milk cows which cuts costs even further and I have calves to sell as well. My only concession is that I insist that all waste food is cooked and this applies particularly to meat, processed meats or meat by-products. 

So go for it and put some tasty meat on the table for next to nothing. And if you can filch some milk from somewhere, so much the better. They don't need a lot but they do well on it and love it.

Cheers,
Ronnie


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## JIL (Aug 25, 2007)

question: " My only concession is that I insist that all waste food is cooked and this applies particularly to meat, processed meats or meat by-products. "
Does this apply to garden scraps too? If so why THanks JIL


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## highlands (Jul 18, 2004)

Post-consumer wastes, especially if you're raising the pigs to sell, should be cooked. Post-consumer are plate scrapings - anything that might have been contaminated with human disease. I would also cook any meat if I were feeding it to pigs as there are some parasites that can be transmitted through raw meat - but I don't feed meat to the pigs, that all goes to the dogs.

Pre-consumer wastes do not generally need cooking. e.g., garden gleaning (weeds, excess, corn husks), milk, whey, cheese, etc.

Cheers

-Walter
Sugar Mountain Farm
in the mountains of Vermont
http://SugarMtnFarm.com/blog/
http://HollyGraphicArt.com/
http://NoNAIS.org


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