Selfsufficientish.com

We are going to be getting 2 weaners in 6 weeks. They were born today. We have never had pigs before.

We want to feed them mainly on free food.

Looking on the internet grass, hay or silage seems to be a good option for part of their diet.

We have a lot of acorns and beechnuts.

We have an area of bracken that we want rooting up.

During mushroom season we will have the trimmings from ceps, chantrelle etc.

Also of course we have vegetable waste from the garden.

We're really interested in what experience anyone has of these food sources, what to beware of etc...

I forgot to mention that we're growing jerusalem artichokes. We've read that these are good for pigs.

Any ideas of what else to grow?

This season I am growing a lot of pig food

Spuds, obviously, all the tinies, and sarpo mira as it's so productive and blight resistant

Maro dried peas

Artichokes, and also pumpkins in the misc bed

Plenty of swedes as they are so easy to grow, nutricious and filling

In the root break I have fodder beeet and all the small carrots

But by far the best food, if you can get it is restaurant/hotel slops. Unfortunately it is 'illegal' to feed but if you can get this waste food it is excellent pig fattening, though you should boil it for 30 minuits to prevent paracites

Your pigs are going to need around 16% protein in their diet which means you will have to beef up their feed with something. I don't know about the legality of fish or bone meal these days.Peas and beans are good. I found pigs did very well indeed on cooked potatoes and milk, I had plenty of goats milk at the time but powdered is fine. Bread and bakery is good if you can get a supply of out of date items from a local shop.

Pigs do a lot better if their food is boiled but if you cook it in your home kitchen you are breaking the law, legally you can't give them anything from your home kitchen.

I raised a couple of pigs almost entirely on bought food a couple of years back, after doing the maths I found I had just broken even on the retail cost of the meat.

fredc wrote: Pigs do a lot better if their food is boiled but if you cook it in your home kitchen you are breaking the law, legally you can't give them anything from your home kitchen.

The law is a ass

http://thepigidea.org/

doofaloofa wrote:

fredc wrote: Pigs do a lot better if their food is boiled but if you cook it in your home kitchen you are breaking the law, legally you can't give them anything from your home kitchen.

The law is a ass

http://thepigidea.org/

Indeed the law is an ass.

Great link