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Raw materials feed pigs save money and effort
Feeding pigs with raw materials not only saves labor and costs, but also enhances feed intake, promotes weight gain, reduces feed consumption, and improves feed efficiency. However, it is crucial to follow proper feeding methods.
The main raw feeds suitable for pigs include grains like corn, wheat, and rice, as well as their by-products such as bran. When these feeds are cooked, they can lose over 13% of their nutrients, making the feeding effect only about 87% as effective as raw feed. In addition, green feeds should also be included in the diet. However, cooking often destroys most proteins and vitamins. Certain leguminous feeds, such as soybean meal, peanut cake, and bean dregs, contain an anti-trypsin that prevents the breakdown of plant proteins by trypsin in pigs. Therefore, these feeds must be heat-treated before being fed to pigs.
Wet and dry feeds should be properly mixed. The ratio of wet feed to water should not exceed 1:2.5, as too much moisture can reduce digestive juice secretion and enzyme activity, affecting digestion. The ideal ratio is 1:1, with the feed stirred until water droplets can be squeezed out. Dry feed should be fed in a powdered form after mixing. Dry feeding offers several benefits: it prevents spoilage, allows for longer storage, saving labor; and it makes it easier to prepare compound feeds.
Raw feed should be washed and disinfected to prevent parasitic infections. A common method is soaking in lime water or potassium permanganate solution. The best practice is to grow feed without using pig manure or unfermented waste to avoid contamination. Some feeds, like rapeseed cake, cottonseed cake, fresh cassava, and buckwheat, contain toxins that must be removed through crushing, soaking, fermentation, or ensiling before feeding.
The particle size of crushed feed should ideally be between 1.20 mm and 1.80 mm. This size improves palatability, increases feed intake, and supports faster growth. Particles smaller than 1 mm may cause pigs to stick their mouths together while eating, reducing palatability and potentially causing gastric ulcers. Particles larger than 2 mm are rough, less palatable, and pigs tend to refuse them.
Feed ingredients should be offered separately. When pigs are hungry, their digestive juices are most active. Concentrate feed, which is nutrient-rich, small in size, low in fiber, and highly digestible, should be given first. Mixing it with large-volume green feed can reduce the digestibility of the concentrate, as the moisture from green feed may dilute digestive enzymes.
The amount of feed varies depending on the pig’s stage of growth and production. Growing pigs and fattening pigs can be allowed to eat freely, while breeding pigs need controlled feeding to avoid overfeeding, which can lead to fat accumulation and affect reproduction. For boars, non-breeding periods require 2–2.5 kg of concentrate daily, increasing to 3–3.5 kg during breeding. Pregnant sows need 2–2.5 kg per day, while lactating sows require 5–6 kg.
Pigs fed dry feed must have access to sufficient water. In winter, water should be 2–3 times the amount of dry feed, 4 times in spring and autumn, and 5 times in summer. Lactating sows especially need enough water to maintain milk production. Water should be clean, and its temperature should be kept cool in winter and moderate in summer.
When introducing raw feed, a gradual transition is necessary. Start by replacing 1/3 of the feed with raw material, then 2/3 after 3–5 days, and finally switch completely after another 3–5 days. Sudden changes can reduce feed intake and weight gain. Also, control the amount of feed in the initial days to prevent indigestion caused by overfeeding.