FEEDING
Pig Rearing
Importance of feeding in pig rearing
Generally, the cost of feed in pig farming accounts for 70- 75 per cent of the cost of rearing. Choose the right feed mix. This should take age and weight into consideration. The protein percentage should be determined according to the physiological and production requirements.
Nutrient requirements for pigs
A) Protein requirement
- For pregnant sows: 14%
- For lactating sows: 15%
- For boars: 14%
B) Protein and energy requirement based on the body weights
Care should be taken to attain at least 250-300 g weight per day in a piglet. In pig feed, use of chopped quality raw fodder can reduce cost. Tender Napier, Guinea grass, S.S.G, M.P.Chari can be used as fodder for pigs.
| Body weight in kgs | 2-5 | 5-15 | 15-35 | 35-90 |
| Protein (%) | 24 | 22 | 18 | 14 |
| Energy (kcal) | 3,500 | 3,500 | 3,300 | 3,300 |
Source: Livestock Production Management, NSR Sastry and CK Thomas
FEEDING YOUNG PIGS
- Make sure piglings get colostrum within 45 minutes of birth which is rich in antibodies, vitamins and proteins to boost its immunity to combat diseases in future.
- Feeding pre-starter pigs: This is supposed to replace milk known as milk replacer.
- Feeding starter feed/creep feed: From 2-4 weeks age onwards, piglets can be introduced with concentrates because the milk produced by the sow is not sufficient for the young, because of which they cannot gain much weight. So, to provide sufficient nutrients, solids should be introduced. Arrange one corner of the room for feeding of piglets so that only piglets can go into it by avoiding risk of mother eating the creep feed. The protein should be 18-20% in the creep feed.
- This creep feed can be fed from 10th day of age up to 2 weeks after weaning.
- This should be given in small quantities initially, later should be increased.
- Always provide sufficient water. This creep feed is prepared by using locally available feed materials.
| Period | Weight (kg) | Days | Amount of feed needed/ pig (kg) |
| Pre-starter | 5-Feb | 1-2 weeks | 1.5-2.0 |
| Starter | 15-May | 22-56 | 9.0-11.0 |
| Grower | 15-35 | 57-90 | 50-60 |
| Grower and finishing | 35-90 | 80-90 | 140-150 |
Source: International Standards on feed requirements in pigs, NSR Sastry, Livestock Production Management.
Pre-starter and starter diets for pigs(per100 kg)
| Ingredient | Pre-starter diet | Starter diet |
| Ground yellow maize | 17.8 | 44.4 |
| Dried skim milk | 20 | — |
| Soyabean meal (50%) | 25.2 | 37.5 |
| Fish soluble | 2.5 | — |
| Dry whey (high lactose) | 20 | 15 |
| Cane sugar | 10 | — |
| Stabilized fat | 2.5 | — |
| Calcium carbonate(38% Ca) | 0.5 | 0.5 |
| Dical-Phosphate(26%Ca 18.5% P) | 0.2 | 1.3 |
| Iodized salt | 0.2 | 0.2 |
| Trace mineralized salt | 0.1 | 0.1 |
| Vitamin mix | 1 | 1 |
| Antibiotics | ||
| Total | 100 | 100 |
Creep feed
| Ingredients | Formula I | Formula II |
| Maize | 60 | 58 |
| Groundnut cake | 20 | 34 |
| Rice bran | 8 | 6 |
| Fish meal | 10 | – |
| Mineral mixture | 20 | 20 |
| Vitamin mixture (g) | 25 | 25 |
Source: Source: R.M.V Prasad et al., Pandula pempakam lo melakuvalu, Livestock farm complex, veterinary college, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad
Advantages of creep feed:
- It promotes weight gain so that they attain more weight at the time of weaning.
- It increases the production of enzymes in the digestive system.
- Reduces stress in piglets after weaning.
- This feed allows for early weaning by reducing the stress of milk production on the mother and allows them to attain heat early.
RATION FOR GROWER
| Ingredient | Grower’s ration (kgs) | Formula II |
| Maize | 30 | 20 |
| Groundnut cake | 20 | 10 |
| Wheat bran | 40 | 40 |
| Fish-meal | 7.5 | 7.5 |
| Milo | – | 10 |
| Mineral mixture | 2.5 | 2.5 |
| Vitamin supplements | 10 g | 10 g |
Source: Dr. S.K. Ranjhan and co-workers, Pig Production by PN Bhat, NH Mohan and Sukh Deo
FINISHER RATION
| Ingredient | Finisher ration | Formula II |
| Maize | 40 | 20 |
| Groundnut cake | 12 | 12 |
| Wheat bran | 30 | 20 |
| Fish-meal | 5.5 | 2.5 |
| Til cake | 10 | 10 |
| Mineral mixture | 2.5 | 5.5 |
| Salt | 0.5 | – |
| Milo | – | 20 |
| Rovimix A+B2+D3 | – | 10 g |
Source: Dr. S.K. Ranjhan and co-workers, Pig Production by PN Bhat, NH Mohan and Sukh Deo
CONCENTRATE MIXTURE PREPARATION
| Maize | 55 parts |
| Groundnut cake | 20 parts |
| Wheat barn | 15 |
| Fish meal | 8.5 parts |
| Mineral mixture | 1.5 parts |
| Salt | 0.5 parts |
| Total | 100 |
| Body weight (kgs) | Requirement per day |
| 25-Jan | 1 kg |
| 26- 50 | 2 kgs |
| 51- 100 | 2.7 kgs |
Source: Source: R.M.V Prasad et al., Pandula pempakam lo melakuvalu, Livestock farm complex, veterinary college, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad
- Mix 30 gms of antibiotic powder per 100 kgs of feed.
- The above mixture contains 22 per cent protein.
- Potatoes, soyabeans and vegetable waste in markets, rice and other kitchen waste can also be fed. In this way the cost of feed can be reduced. The rice grains after cooking can be fed.
FEEDING ADULT MALE PIGS
- Breeding boar requires 2-2.5 kg concentrate per 100 kg body wt. Greens should be provided if kept indoors.
- It is advisable to give one-quarter to one-half of an acre of good pasture to each boar to exercise as well as pasturage
- If boars get too fatty, the concentration of grains in the ration may be reduced and that of Lucerne meal increased.
FEEDING ADULT FEMALE PIGS
- Feeding gilts (45-57 kg B.wt): They should be subjected to limited feeding at a range of about two-third of the requirement of grower-fattening group. This increased the litter size over that when they are fully fed.
- Feeding gilts/sows, two weeks before breeding: Feeding this ration is called flushing. It produces a gain of 0.7-0.9 kg per day and ensures good health.
- Requirement: sows- <20g per kg body wt, gilts- 25-30g as they are growing.
FEEDING PREGNANT SOWS
- They may be fed with concentrates or on dry lot. The requirements may be met through grains, protein supplements, milk products and hay.
- About 1.8-1.9 kg feed per day will result in maximum birth weight and weaning weight.
- Feeding sow at the time of parturition and immediately after: About four to five days before the farrowing the sow’s ration should be reduced to nearly half. They should be prevented from constipation by including laxative feeds like wheat bran, linseed meal, etc. in the ration.
- The amount of high energy feeds like corn is reduced to be substituted by feeds like wheat bran, lucerne hay or oats.
- The farrowing ration recommended by IVRI is as follows
Gestation ration
| For preparation of 45 kg ration | % |
| Maize | 50 |
| Groundnut cake | 20 |
| Molasses | 5 |
| Wheat bran | 18 |
| Fish meal | 5 |
| Mineral mixture | 1.5 |
| Salt | 0.5 |
| Maize | 35 parts |
| Soya cake | 8 parts |
| Wheat barn | 35 parts |
| Fish meal | 5 parts |
| Mineral mixture | 1.5 parts |
| Salt | 0.5 parts |
Source: Pig Production by PN Bhat, NH Mohan and Sukh Deo
- If the pigs are fed with antibiotics before farrowing, the immunity of the pigs will be increased and gives more milk.
- Addition of furazolidone @ 150g/ton of concentrate feed can prevent diarrhea, will also promote growth and develop immunity.
- The sow may be fed with same bulky ration as fed before farrowing for three to four days after farrowing. It is best to feed 50 per cent of the ration on the first day and to increase the ration by 200 to 300 gms daily until she is fully fed.
- Another recommendation is to feed 400 to 500 gms of wheat barn and plenty of luke warm water to the sow on the day after farrowing.
- It is also necessary to satisfy the appetite of the sow; otherwise, they may eat their own litter.
- Feeding lactating sows: They require 3.5 kg concentrates feed plus 0.2 kg starter feed per piglets in the litter and 14 to 23 liters of water per head per day.
- After farrowing, pigs give milk up to 8 weeks. The milk yield increases every week and reaches highest in 4th week and then declines.
- Lactating pigs requires high nutrition. They give 2.5-3kgs milk per day. According to the litter size, quantity of feed should be changed. Piglets weight and growth depends on the nutrition of the mother and the diet containing at least 13 per cent of protein.
LACTATION RATION
| For preparation of 45 kg ration | Kg |
| Corn | 33.25 |
| Soybean meal, 48% | 9.15 |
| Fat | 1.05 |
| Deflourished phosphate | 1.15 |
| Salt | 0.23 |
| Vit-TM mix | 0.15 |
| Lysine HCL | 0.02 |
Source: Pig Production by PN Bhat, NH Mohan and Sukh Deo
FEED ADDITIVES
- Feeding thyroprotein: Iodised casein included in the ration of the sows has increased the gain of pigs by 20-30 per cent during the first week of lactation.
WATER REQUIREMENT
| Boar | 45.5 liters |
| Farrowing sow | 18-22 liters |
| Weaner | 3.5-4 liters |
| Dry sow/gilt | 4.5-5 liters |
| Lactating sow | 14-23 liters |
Source: Pig Production by PN Bhat, NH Mohan and Sukh Deo
OTHER FEED STUFF
REPLACEMENT OF SOME FEED INGREDIENTS WITH LOCALLY AVAILABLE CHEAP FEEDS
- For feeding young piglets skimmed milk, butter milk, dried whey, cheese rind burnt baby fed.
- Similarly slaughter house & meat processing plants by products can be easily used to form cheap & highly nutritive feed for pigs.
- Poultry dressing plants or hatcheries waste materials also used.
- Fish meal, fish residue meal which is the main source of high quality protein, Ca and P. It can be used upto 5% of the ration.
- Hotel and community kitchen waste, guar meal are also used.
- Brewery waste can be included up to 15 % & rice bran up to 75 %.
LOCALLY AVAILABLE FEED RESOURCES
- Maize, barley, oats, sorghum and millet, damaged wheat, wheat bran, root crops, potato, sweet potato, sugar cane , molasses, tapioca.
OTHER SOURCES OF PROTEIN
- Soybean meal, mustard or rapeseed meal, groundnut meal, sunflower meal, cotton seed meal, fish meal, blood meal, coconut meal, linseed meal, meat and bone meal.
NON-CONVENTIONAL FEED INGREDIENTS
- Some of the possible non-conventional feed resources for pigs are:-
Tea waste can be included up to 15% in the concentrate mixture of pigs, Nahar seed cake can be used up to 15% in growing pigs, Ajar seed can be incorporated upto 15 % in growing pigs, Wild colocasia, Niger cake, Keranja meal, Rubber seed meal, Ambadi meal, Mahua meal, Guar meal, Deoiled silkworm pupae meal, Leucaena & coffee grounds, Banana & brewery and distillery grains, forages etc.
GARBAGE FEEDING
- It is a cost effective way of feeding. Feeding vegetable market waste, hotel waste and kitchen waste can reduce cost of feeding. Green pastures can also be used as a fodder.
- Care to be taken while feeding garbage; meat pieces should not be fed because they can spread diseases and also may block the throat, fermented waste and stored food should not be fed because they may cause salmonellosis which might cause deaths. Cooked garbage is preferred which prevent many diseases and reduces cost of feeding.