Raising a single hog to slaughter size can bring you all of the following:
- Meat for Barbecue
- Pork Steaks
- Boston Butt
- Pork Chops
- Ham Steaks
- Sausage
- Bacon
- Ribs
- Ham
- Lard
What is the fastest way to fatten up a pig?
Pig fattening techniques, ideas, and tips
- Housing for Pig fattening. Housing for Piglets. This is determined by the class of the pig. ...
- Pig fattening recommendations. Pig Fattening. Open the feeders up during the last 7 to 10 days in the nursery, so the pigs optimize feed intake before moving.
- Feed sources. Grain constitutes a range between 55 and 70 % of the total feed mixture. ...
What is the best diet for pigs?
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What are the best pigs to eat?
- Berkshire. The third-most recorded breed of swine in the United States, Berkshires are known for fast and efficient growth, reproductive efficiency, cleanness and meat flavor and value.
- Chester White.
- Duroc.
- Hampshire.
- Landrace.
- Poland China.
- Spotted.
- Yorkshire.
What is the best thing to feed pigs?
- Carbs – energy source, oftentimes corn or grain
- Protein source – soy beans, field beans, etc.
- Fiber/Minerals/etc – these will make up the rest of the feed to help keep the pigs healthy
How much do you feed a pig for slaughter?
Via Accidental Smallholder: As a rule of thumb, you feed 1lb (450g) of food each day for each month of age, up to a maximum of 6lbs (2.75kg) per day. […] On average, taking a weaner from 8 weeks to slaughter six and a half months later will use about 380kg of feed (19 x 20kg bags).
How long does it take to raise a pig for slaughter?
about 4-6 monthsTimeline for Raising Meat Pigs Finishing the pig will take about 4-6 months so the best time to get started is early spring-mid summer. Keeping pigs outdoors in winter can be challenging, so it's best to avoid this until you have some experience.
What do you need to raise a pig for meat?
1:3512:56How to Raise Pigs for Meat on the Homestead - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipThey need a lot of food they need a lot of water. And they need to not escape because they're prettyMoreThey need a lot of food they need a lot of water. And they need to not escape because they're pretty hard if they do get out if you know you're getting pigs make sure to take plenty of time setting.
What feed makes pigs for best flavor?
Barley is probably the best all-round grain for pigs. Feed it crushed or steeped in water to soften. Meat meal provides good protein. Here are the other feed options I use to give the meat great flavour, all grown myself.
How do you feed pigs cheaply?
Here are five ways to reduce swine feeding costsIncorporate DDGS into diets. ... Use small grains when available. ... Take a look at other co-products. ... Use fish meal substitutes. ... Eliminate inorganic phosphorus.
Is it worth raising pigs for meat?
Raising a pig for pork will cost you an average of $3.23 per pound of freezer ready pork. The actual costs range from $2.93-3.53 per pound, depending upon your feed costs. Pigs are one of the most “worth it” animals you can raise! They grow quickly and you get a lot of meat for your efforts.
What is the fastest way to fatten up a pig?
Boost consumption by adding up to a half-pound of whey, milk replacer or liquid protein supplements on top of his food at each feeding. Or, crack two raw eggs over his food each time you feed him. A pig must always have fresh, clean water.
How much does it cost to raise a pig to slaughter?
Total feed costs per pig amounted to roughly $115 each. The pigs were processed at home, so there was no cost for slaughter or butchering, but slaughter generally costs about $60 plus another $100 for butchering.
What food makes pigs grow faster?
As an energy source, choose a grain mix of barley, wheat, sorghum and corn for your pig's diet. At least half the mix should be number two yellow corn. Though low in protein, it is considered a primary energy source in pig diets. It is also one of the most economical feedstuffs available for swine production.
Is corn good for pigs?
Corn is an excellent source of energy for pigs, and most other energy feedstuffs are priced relative to corn. The amino acids of soybean meal complement corn's amino acids resulting in a diet that matches the nutritional needs of the pig well.
Can you feed pigs whole corn?
self fed to growing finishing swine (from 50 pounds to market weight). An alternative feeding method for these hogs would be to feed whole, shelled corn and a complete protein vitamin mineral supplement free choice.
What is the healthiest food for pigs?
Good pig feed contains sufficient energy, protein, minerals and vitamins. Rice bran, broken rice, maize, soya-beans, cassava, vegetables and distillers' residues are often used in pig feed. Distillery waste is much appreciated in traditional pig husbandry, especially for pigs.
What is the largest cost element in the production of pigs for slaughter?
Feed is the largest cost element in the production of pigs for slaughter. It contributes some 75% to 80% of total costs and, therefore, the best use must be made of the feeds available, for maximising the lean growth of the pigs.
How to keep pigs of different weight and age in same building?
If pigs of different weight and age are in same building, arrange for pigs to remain within their own age/weight group but gradually move along the building each week, each end of the building supplied by perhaps two separate feed lines fed by different bins.
What is wet feeding equipment?
Modern wet feeding equipment is capable of delivering diets of different nutrient balance to specific pens of pigs. This can be pre-set onto the feeding computer from day 1, according to a feed growth curve, preferably derived from on-farm performance data
What is the difference between a younger pig and an older pig?
Younger pigs require a higher protein to energy ratio than is present in the feed so lean growth falls below potential. Older pigs require a lower protein to energy ratio than is present in the feed so protein is wasted.
Is phase feeding a practical option?
Phase feeding is not a practical option on most units so a compromise needs to be made between supplying one diet for the whole of the finishing period and supplying a different diet on each day. Stage feeding is more practical when two, three or four diets are fed between 30kg and slaughter.
How to feed a pig for butchering?
Use pig feed from a feed mill. The absolute cheapest way to feed a pig for butchering is to use feed from a feed mill that grinds their own feed . They will have floor stock of the popular feeds already done and waiting for you to pick up. Feeds like pig grower and laying mash are likely to be floor stock for most mills.
Why do you need to keep pigs growing?
You’ll spend more on feed per pig than you did to buy the pig in the first place! The reason you need to keep pigs growing quickly is that younger pigs are more efficient than older/bigger pigs at gaining weight from the food they eat.
Does pig feed cost more?
No or low grain intake pig feeding will cost more. Having your pigs eat food sources other than ground pig feed will make them grow slower which will increase the cost to raise them. As referenced above, read the article on feed to gain and the relationship to the weight of the pig.
Do pigs need room to move?
It also means your pigs will take a bit longer to reach finishing weight than a pig raised in a smaller pen. Don’t get me wrong, pigs need room to move, for sure! They need to be able to root and do something interesting all day.
Do you need a scale to weigh out mineral and soybean meal?
You’ll need a scale to weigh out the mineral and soybean meal. Since the purpose of this article is finding the cheapest gains for your pigs, you have to do the math for your area’s prices to make sure it is a better deal for you. If you do decide to go the homemade feed route, here’s one thing to keep in mind.
Importance of Rich Pig Feed
Because of the rate at which pigs grow and reproduce and the fact that they spend some or all of their life indoor, their rations require adequate mineral and vitamin supplements.
Fattening Pork and heavy pigs
The fattening meal should be introduced from the weight of 60kg of live weight.
Boar Feed
Boars that are fully matured (from 15 months old) should be given 2.5kg to 3kg daily of a ration of the type fed to sows.
What to do when pigs reach market weight?
When your pigs reach market weight, you will need to have them slaughtered or slaughter them yourself. If you choose to take them to the butcher or processor, there are a few steps you will need to take in preparation, transportation and transaction.
How to haul pigs?
Pig Transportation. To haul your pigs, you’ll need to have a pickup truck with extended sides, or you could use a horse trailer. Either way, you’ll need to have a ramp with rails for loading. Your goal should be to keep your pigs calm and quiet throughout the process.
How are pigs stunned?
The pigs are stunned by being lowered into a chamber containing 90% CO2. Alternately, they may be stunned via electrical charge. This part of the process presumably renders the animal unconscious and makes it insensitive to pain.
What is lard in pigs?
Lard. A single pig can not only provide a wide variety of meats, but it will also provide more meat for your investment of feed than any other type of farm animal. After slaughtering and processing, animals such as sheep and cattle render only about 50% consumable product.
Can sick pigs be slaughtered?
Sick pigs should never be taken to slaughter. It’s a good idea to get your vet to examine them and give each one a clean bill of health before the set out. If you are not able to haul your pigs yourself, you may be able to hire a commercial livestock hauler to take them for you. Of course, this will add to your expenses.
Is slaughtering pigs humane?
Slaughtering Pigs In A Humane Way. It is worth noting that this sort of careful practice is more likely to occur in a small, humane processing operation than in a large, commercial operation. In large commercial operations, pigs are often rushed around in large groups and may not be completely stunned before slaughter.
Is pig breeding a good investment?
A family or small farm can look at pig breeding and raising as a low investment, short- term way of making a small amount of money. It is also an excellent way to get the most meat for your personal use for the lowest amount of investment. As omnivores, pigs are able to process a wide variety of discarded foods into excellent pork for your table. ...
4-5 months to grow a pig from feeder size to slaughter weight
It will take you 4-5 months to raise your pigs from feeder pig size up to slaughter weight.
The fastest way to raise pigs in on free choice feed
In order to keep your pigs growing at their best, you’ll need to keep them on a free choice pig feed. This means they have all of the feed they want to eat any time they want to eat it.
Pigs on pasture or wooded areas will take longer
If you are planning to put your pigs out on pasture or into a wooded lot, meaning not in a pen, they are going to take longer to raise, simply because they are running around and burning up more energy.
Pigs of unusual breeds will take longer
The other group or category of feeder pigs that will take longer to grow are any sort of rare breed or cross of rare or unusual breeds of pigs.
What do you feed a pig?
The simplest way to feed a pig is to provide grain, (corn-on-cob, wheat or barley), a protein supplement (alfalfa leaf left over from the hay fed to goats, for example), and a mineral mixture or a complete hog ration in separate compartments of an automatic hog feeder .
What keeps pigs from upsetting the trough?
Wide endboards keep pigs from upsetting the trough. Photo by Ed Robinson. A simple hog house can be constructed at home. Photo by Ed Robinson. "You can breed the pigs and buy the corn and get on. You can raise the corn and buy the pigs and get on. If you buy the corn and buy the pigs to feed, you haven't got a chance.
How much meat does a 200 pound pig give?
Even a 200 pound pig (live weight) will give about 55 pounds of hams and shoulder, 40 pounds of bacon and loin, plus lard, sausage, pigs feet, etc. Two pigs are sufficient for a family of six to eight.
How much does a portable hog house cost?
The standard portable A-type hog house is satisfactory and can be bought knock-down for around 35 dollars . However, the backyard farmer probably hasn't enough land to require a portable house. A simple shed structure, 8-by-6 feet, 5 feet high in front, 3 feet high in the rear, is most satisfactory.
How many pigs are enough for a family of six?
Two pigs are sufficient for a family of six to eight. -Advertisement-. With only three in our family, we made a mistake keeping our pigs until they weighed 300 pounds. After pigs go over 225 pounds their ratio of weight gained to food consumed drops.
What is the roof of a pig shed made of?
The roof is tar-paper, the rest of the shed is made of wood, including the floor that is set well off the ground to keep the pigs dry. In the fall, we keep the floor bedded with straw. New Method of Raising Pigs.
How to keep feed bills down for pigs?
To keep feed bills down, you should plant a patch of corn or supply extra food scraps or garden or orchard produce. In fact, good pasture, fenced into three lots for rotating will supply 10 to 15 percent of the total food for a couple of pigs.
Can you feed pigs the night before slaughter?
Don't feed the pigs the night before taking them to slaughter. Getting them into and out of the trailer will be a lot easier if they are hungry. Because of the time spent in the trailer, you cannot legally load pigs the night before. Plan in advance how you are going to get the pigs loaded.
Can you send a pig to an abattoir?
If you can avoid it, never send one pig to the abattoir; having company of another pig will reduce stress. However, never send your pigs with someone else’s – they will fight and you’ll end up with bruised and damaged carcases, as well as stressed animals.
