Pig Nutrition

Simple Digestion

Pigs are simple monogastrics, just like humans. Food is swallowed, digested in the stomach and then travels through the small intestine, cecum, and large intestine for nutrient and water absorption.

Unlike most other livestock, pigs are omnivores. They can digest both plant and animal materials and will eat a wide variety of foods.

Big Eaters

Nutrition is one of the highest costs of pork production, accounting for somewhere between 60 and 75% of expenses. A pig can eat between 6-8 pounds of food a day, and it will take between 700 and 900 pounds of food for a pig to reach slaughter weight.

Energy

Energy is a nutrient that can be found in many feed stuffs for pigs. Cereal grains like corn, milo, wheat, barley, and their co-products are used for energy. In cereal grains, starch and oil are positively correlated with energy values, whereas fiber is negatively correlated. In addition, fat, which contains approximately 2.5 times the amount of energy as cereal grains, is often used to increase the energy density of swine diets.

Protein

Protein is a critical nutrient for pigs and is the second most expensive ingredient. Pigs need specific levels of amino acids, the tiny bits that make up proteins. Lysine is by far the most important amino acid to be aware of in a pig diet. Soybean meal is often used for pig diets since it is high quality.

Vitamins

Pigs, like other animals, need six vitamins: A, B, C, D, E, & K. Pigs can make a level of some vitamins, some vitamins are available in their feedstuffs, but a select amount of vitamins must be fed in a vitamin mix to pigs to meet their needs. Vitamin deficiency can cause a large problem in pigs and should be addressed.

Minerals

The most important minerals are called "Macro-minerals" and include things like calcium, phosphorus, potassium, among others. Macro-minerals are something pigs need a lot of. Micro-minerals are minerals that pigs need, but not a lot of. Some examples of micro-minerals are copper, iron, and zinc, among others. Minerals are often added to diets to make sure a pig gets enough.

Feed Safety

Pig feed must be manufactured very carefully because many diseases that affect pigs can be harbored in feed. Diseases like Salmonella or African Swine Fever could potentially be spread through feed and therefore mills must be extra clean! Biosecurity is incredibly important when dealing with pigs.

Different Pigs, Different Food

Pigs must be fed based on their stage of growth. We classify pigs as "nursery", "grow-finish", or "sow". These classifications help us make sure each pig is getting the nutrients it needs to grow properly.

Breeds

Health

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