What we feed hogs and why not Hog feed...
Hogs, pigs...all ages and stages... something that must be learned early on when farming....is the unfortunately political side to it all, and how everything is based off the "commercial market"
What does this mean....the two go very closely hand in hand...the same thing, and tho I will never fully understand....this isn't a hate-filled post - or a "do it my way" either -
There are too many variables - honey
16% protein is the industry standard in small-scale farming - tho you will find labeled hog feeds..the 50# bags at feed stores are only 12 -14% if your hogs, piglets are kept in confinement, small groups, or large - the word confinement brings up negative images of all indoors, tight small and yes for the most part that is true - those hogs do not need as much feed protein, and fat - so lots of experiments have happened at our farm and there is no one size fits all to any of our set up experiments - when we have had 20 or just 6 - they require so much feed and at least 16% protein - protein is energy, growth, profermance - remember your growing out pork - space sizes also impact amount of feed overall and the ultimate test is what they weigh at butcher - and then you go back to lay out of your pens and fields -
If our pen area is 20 x 40 and we have 20 hogs in there (this is a bit much), they will need less feed - not much less - but when given less space to move around, they dotn' burn the calories and grow a bit quicker -
Are they happy ...probably not...too many in that space...and it becomes very dirty -
So let's say the opposite - 20x40 with 6 hogs - so nice - more feed, more room to be a pig and dig and play - will need significantly more time to grow to desired weights -
A balance of space, pen materials, time, feed access - Both scenarios are good overall!
Sometimes, the weather season were in dictates this setup - if there are trees, shade nearby - or ice and snow -
So what do we feed - a minimum of 16% protein grain mix, alfalfa hay or grass hay, pasture at times, depending on season - no bread, no junk, and feed soaked in milk -
Understanding the value in feeds - when combined with space, land, water, - you leave the commercial feed thinking behind - no one taught me how to read a feed label - that's right the feed label tag on a 50# bag of feed - I have studied these for so long...and have processed so many hogs now....we continue to have different answers each time - The biggest difference is in Taste, overall flavor - texture, SO good!