Hey man I am just down the road from you in Nacogdoches. I have quiet a bit of experience with pigs, I showed pigs, steers, and heifers growing up and I spent 5 yrs managing a hog farm. Would be glad to help if you need it. I always advise to have at least 2 pigs, they are very social animals and just always seem to eat better and do better if you have 2 of them. Also if you have 2 and one gets sick or goes off feed or just doesnt grow out well you always have a back up.
As far as the free choice feed, I think it depends on what age you buy at and how big they are. I typically like to keep mine on a free choice feeder until at least 50 lbs, and will leave them on it until 75 lbs sometimes. Depending on the pig and if we are going to be jackpotting with it or not. If the pig has a good appetite and eats well on the free feeder then I leave them on it a little longer, if the pig doesnt eat as much as I think they should on the free feeder then I pull them off earlier and start hand feeding twice a day. Letting them get a little hungry between feedings will actually increase their feed consumption I have found. My ideal is to get the pig eating 6 lbs a day as early as possible at that conversion they should gain 2 lbs a day at least and to me this is ideal. I know other people have other feeding regiments and I am not knocking them, they are successful. This is just what I have found works best for me on most pigs.
If you have any other questions just let me know. When is yalls county show, or what show are you aiming for with your pigs?
May 30, 2009, 08:10:01 AM