# Feeding just oats and barley



## AnthonyF (Mar 21, 2011)

Just a few questions about the pigs we will be raising this year, and how to save a bit in the food bill compared to last year. I was wondering if it was possible to feed just rolled oats and barley, along with the grass and forage they will get. If so would it be neccisary to add a mineral? and if not just oats and barley and what mixture with commercial hog grower? 1:1, 2:1, 4:1? and info and experience will be great. Btw, these will be york x's. Thank you.


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## bigmudder77 (Jun 9, 2008)

We just fed corn and milk and pasture and got 300lb hogs in 5 months great tasting hogs by the way 

We had yorks and bluebutts


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## highlands (Jul 18, 2004)

It is best if the grains are not whole but ideally soaked, sprouted or cooked. If you put whole barley in the front end of a pig you'll get a lot of whole barley out the back end in the manure. Works for planting barley perhaps but is not an economical way to grow pigs.

If you cook the grains then they become a lot more digestible. Add some dairy, pasture, vegetables and such and you get a more balanced diet.

Dirt is good if yours has the required minerals. This is one of the benefits of pasturing. But, get your soil tested. If you don't have a good soil source then there are kelp and other mineral sources you can purchase. Pigs do need minerals, just like all animals and plants.

If you have the land I would suggest pasturing and set it up as a managed rotational grazing pattern. You'll need four or more paddocks. See:

site:sugarmtnfarm.com managed rotational grazing - Google Search

for a bit about how we do it.

If you're looking to do alternative feeds I would suggest attempting that more in your second year rather than your first year of raising pigs. There is a good book "Nontraditional Food Sources for Swine Production" (I think that's the title).

If you're going to feed grains and pasture, try feeding the grains (candy) in the second half of the day to encourage grazing.

Cheers,

-Walter Jeffries
Sugar Mountain Farm
Pastured Pigs, Sheep & Kids
in the mountains of Vermont
Read about our on-farm butcher shop project:
ButcherShop | Sugar Mountain Farm


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## AnthonyF (Mar 21, 2011)

So rolled oat and rolled barley should still be processed in some way to get the most out of it?


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## gerold (Jul 18, 2011)

AnthonyF said:


> Just a few questions about the pigs we will be raising this year, and how to save a bit in the food bill compared to last year. I was wondering if it was possible to feed just rolled oats and barley, along with the grass and forage they will get. If so would it be neccisary to add a mineral? and if not just oats and barley and what mixture with commercial hog grower? 1:1, 2:1, 4:1? and info and experience will be great. Btw, these will be york x's. Thank you.


http://www.aces.edu/animalforage/swine/documents/Swinedietetics2.pdf

Above link should give you more info. Yes the hard small grains should be ground.


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## Rogo (Jan 1, 2006)

Hmmm, haven't had any problems with my menu. 

Whole oats, rolled barley, hay, eggs from my poultry, 100% food grade diatomaceous earth (DE) for the 28 trace minerals and so they don't get any sickness/diseases/vet bills. They basically free choice feed since there's always feed left when I go out there.

I don't feed any commercial hog feed.

No pasture here in the desert, but all stock roam free on the acreage.

It works here!


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## BobbyB (Apr 6, 2009)

Every now and then I get a half barrel of oats from the cleaning/bagging plant at work. As long as I soak them 24 hours before feeding, its all good. If I feed them dry, they come out whole.


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