THE PIG INDUSTRY.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVII, Issue 183, 6 July 1937, Page 5

THE PIG INDUSTRY.

THE FEEDING OF PIGS. (Notes by M. J. Scott, 13. A., B.Sc.) In order to use this specialised cheap iced supply it is probable that slight departures have to be made from the usual routine of pig-kceping. It is probably convenient to have the winter stores ready to fatten to baconcrs when the milk first comes in, and weaners from the epring litters ready to use the milk somewhere in November. For pigs that arc not being fattoned a small allowance of milk, not more than one gallon per day along with ari much other feed as they will eat seems to be the general practice. Where these cheap feeds (soft turnips, rape, lucerne or grasts) are likely to taint or discolour carcases, they must be withdrawn during the last three weeks prior to slaughter Where rnilk if* not available during winter, meat meal must be used along with roots, especially with younger oicas and eows. AMOUNTS OF FOOL) REQUIRED.

Much has been written about the amounts to be fed to pigs per feed or per day. On most places pigs are users of all the skimmilk, and provided they clean it up each day no one cares whether it is 20. per cent, too much or 10 per cent, too little. I’igs can grow at rates varying from nothing up to three [>ounds [tor day, and from this it follows that the amount of feed given can vary over a very wide range. All animals are most accommodating in thi3 respect; they can over-eat for a few da,y3 and keep quite healthy; they can under-eat for many days and still appear satisfactory. Eating six pounds of feed per day they may bo bloated; eating two lb they may be hungry. It is possible to state how much feed is required daily only when the weight of the animal, the growth rate per day and the kind of feed arc also stated. A young growing animal can eat a maximum of 6 per cent, of his weight each day; a 501 b pig can cat 31b; an aged sow can live on a minimum of 1 per cent, of her live weight, i.e., a sow of 4001 b weight can live quite satisfactorily' on 41b of food per day. There is however, a satisfactory growth rate at which average pigs grow and keep healthy', and the feed consumed under these conditions amounts to about 4 per cent, of the pig’s weight; slightly higher when young, slightly lower when old. The following table sets out the average age in weeks, weight in lb. growth rate in lb per day. and feed consumption in lb per pig por day. (Feed as lb of bar-ley-meat meal mixture, or as gallons of skim-milk.)

DAILY RATION FOR PIGS—RAPID GROWTH. Live weight lb. Feed Daily for Age Wgt. increase Pro(w'ks) (lbs) (per day) Maint. duct. Total

*Alonther’s milk sole feed supply.

These amounts have been calculated from first principles as laid down in Wood’s Animal Nutrition, page 163. The calculated amounrs agree closely with those used in the most efficient feeding trials whore healthy pigs have been fed in suitable sties and under suitable weather conditions. Rato of growth, and feed for 1001 b of live weight increase are the most usoful items for purpose of checking. fn general it is most profitable to feed pigs in such a way that they grow as fast as they can. It hnn been found, however, that whore pigs fatten and grow at the same time their carcase tends to be short and to carry too much back fat. Consequently one has fo strike a happy medium between efficient feed conversion and suitable carcnso quality. Pigs that grow at; the rate of about one and a third lb per day over the last stages of bacon weights are usually not too fat on the back, and their efficiency as converters of feed is satisfactory.

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