On a farm, feeding the animals is a continual job that eats up a lot of time. In addition to following standard procedures, you should tailor your care to the unique needs of the animals you’re working with. Providing for the pigs’ nutritional needs may be the first step in what seems to be a daunting undertaking.
This excerpt first appeared in Alice Percy’s book “Happy Pigs Taste Better.” It is in a web-friendly format and ready for your usage. It’s not only what you feed them, but how you feed them, that matters. Feeding is a daily need that may be accomplished in a number of ways. What is practical for you to accomplish will depend on the number of animals you care for, the local climate, and your management goals. Choosing the Crystal Spring Hog Equipment Manufacture company is essential here.
Contrasting Full and Limited Feeding
“Full feeding” means to give your animals access to grain at all times, while “limit feeding” means to give them a set amount of grain at set times (typically, this amount is 5-10% less than what the animals would consume if they were full fed, or whatever the animals will clean up in half an hour when they are fed twice a day). The opposite of “full feeding” is “limit feeding,” There are benefits to be gained from both approaches. It’s more practical to eat meals whole: Since you may fill huge feeders at sporadic intervals, there is no need to weigh the contents. Hogs that are not rationed in their food intake will reach the slaughter weight more slowly than their free-fed counterparts. These two factors will allow you to spend far less time monitoring feed.
However, as compared to fully fed hogs, limit-fed pigs have higher feed efficiency and higher lean yields. Hogs have a propensity to eat everything put in front of them rather than soiling it or playing in it, thus limiting their diet helps reduce feed waste. Pork that has been let to overeat is more prone to dirty its feed or play in it. While time-consuming, limit feeding allows you to keep closer tabs on your animals’ feed intake, health, and behaviour without the distractions that come with free feeding. Feedstuffs with a high calorie count are ideal for those who want to restrict their intake. When using large quantities of feedstuffs, animals must be thoroughly fed to ensure they get enough amounts of protein and energy.
Feeding Receptacles
Simply putting feed on the ground is a fantastic way to waste money. Feed storage containers should be selected with the animal’s convenience, ease of access, and the prevention of waste in mind.
Conclusion
In order to accomplish the duty of complete feeding, it is typical to employ large roofed bins made of metal or durable plastic and equipped with feeding pans. These bins need to be built well enough to withstand the elements (if they’re going to be placed outside) and heavy enough to prevent tipping even when only partially full, but small enough that any uneaten feed won’t spoil before it’s used.