Pig Grower Feed Trail – Farmix
Management and feed for pig growing production units in South Africa have a few aspects that need to be considered, especially to make it economically viable for the farmer of today with cost strains, piglet availability and low slaughter prices at certain periods. Therefore Farmix Animal Feeds have looked at various seasons of pig growing units and compared the results and determine if it’s potentially possible to produce porkers profitably in recent times.
Some of the factors that does influence production units mainly:
• Type (Genetics) and Quality of the Piglet
• Type of housing and Environmental Conditions
• Feed rations and Feeding Methods
• Farm Health
• Own Farrowing
• Type of End Product
Management:
The type of pig (genetics) determines a great deal of growth potential. This is mostly measured as the feed conversion ratio (FCR) and profitability of a live unit. With this does a farmer need to start with the best quality piglet that he can possibly farrow himself or buy in from breeders. To start with a piglet of a lower quality can easily increase the FCR and time of growth to reach the desired weight target which is costing more money.
Housing can range from very intensive controlled environmental units to low cost basic units. Which system, it may be, is it more important to give the piglet an environment that is constant and reduces stress to optimize growth as far as possible. Some environmental or housing factors that are important to consider are temperature (heat), clean housing, ventilation, feed and water availability, cleanness of water and fresh feed, stimulation for pigs, vaccination and disease prevention and control program. Last but still very important is the actual awareness by employees and management and the time period of acting when a problem does occur.
Farm health should be the best possible. Loss of livestock or diseases that cause carcass downgrading can be disastrous in production units, and then one has to calculate the effect on the growth and extra feed intake to pull the pig thru the harsh times.
Farrowing the piglets for one self-have numerous advantages like controlling the piglet quality and the genetic pool of the piggery. This is though a lot more labor intensive and management must have a good hand on the reproduction units as well to maintain a good piglet thru out furrowing.
The type of end product that is a porker or baconer will predetermine the target for growth and what type of meat market will be more economical for the farmer.
Farmix Animal Feed:
The feed has the largest cost factor where it can be up to 70% or more of the total costs involved. This is where Farmix Animal Feeds are an excellent choice and have the right products that reach a farmers target efficiently and economically.
Recent trails over winter and summer time periods did we receive the following data (Table 1 & 2) below from a general porker producer that demands a high quality porker carcass with the correct amount of fat coverage.
From the winter to the summer months did the FCR improve slightly from 2.61 – 2.56. This had a slight increase in income per unit. For the most were the results fairly equal. Numerous guidelines show a FCR of 2.65-2.7 at 17 weeks of age, and therefore have Farmix Animal Feed produced a conversion ratio lower than standard set by many guidelines, making the production unit with Farmix Feed more efficient in growth.
For both seasons are the results acceptable to produce piglets profitable.
Table 1: Winter Trail Complete Trail Growing Phase
Age in Weeks 4-17 10-17
Start Weight @ 4 Weeks (kg) 8.42
Porker Weight @ 17 Weeks (kg) 69.02
Average Intake / Pig (kg) 157.89 106.57
Average Daily intake (kg) 1.735 2.54
Complete Weight Gain (kg) 60.6 40.37
Feed Convertion Ratio 2.61 2.64
Piglet Price R 360
Feed Cost R 716.11
Total Cost R 1076.11
Slaughter 70% Carcass @ R28.00 R 1401.00
Table 2: Summer Trail Complete Trail Growing Phase
Weeks in Age 4-17 10-17
Start Weight @ 4 Weeks (kg) 8.45
Porker Weight @ 17 Weeks (kg) 69.81
Average Intake / Pig (kg) 157.27 106.36
Average Daily intake (kg) 1.728 2.53
Complete Weight Gain (kg) 61.36 40.37
Feed Conversion Ratio 2.56 2.61
Piglet Price R 360
Feed Cost R 712.91
Total Cost R 1072.91
Slaughter 70% Carcass @ R28.00 R 1417.14
The feed used in the trail were as follow: Pig Creep 4-8 Weeks, Weaner 8-10 Weeks and Pig Grower II from 10-17 Weeks of age.
More information regarding Farmix Animal Feed pig rations can be viewed at the following link: http://www.farmix.co.za/portfolio-view/pigs/