Five Misconceptions in the Use of Pig Feed That Pig Farmers Need to Know
Misconception 1: Feeding Large Amounts of Soybean Cake or Peanut Cake During the Fattening Stage。
Many pig farmers hold an unscientific feeding belief: that feeding large amounts of soybean cake or peanut cake during the fattening stage is the way to make pigs grow fast and their meat firm. In fact, this is wrong. During the fattening stage, the pig's growth focus is on putting on fat, not muscle, so it does not need large amounts of protein feed. If large amounts of protein feed are given during the fattening stage, the pig must remove the nitrogen-containing part of the protein in its gastrointestinal tract before the remaining non-nitrogen part can be converted into fat, and this deamination consumes extra energy. In addition, soybean cake and peanut cake contain large amounts of unsaturated fatty acids; feeding too much of them can make the pig's fat soft and yellowish, and will certainly not make the meat firm. Instead, it lowers the quality of the meat. Cake-type feeds sell for a higher market price than other feeds, so using more of them raises feed costs, which in itself is a waste.|||
Misconception 2: Using Cooked Feed to Feed Pigs.
The technique of feeding pigs with raw feed has long been widespread, but many rural pig farmers still use the feeding model of cooked feed for pigs. They believe that pigs fed cooked feed easily put on fat, but this is not the case. After feed is cooked, almost all the vitamins are destroyed, and the protein in the feed ages and denatures. According to statistics, 20% of the nutrients in feed are lost during the cooking process, and the nutrient loss in green feed is even greater. If it is left in the pot for a long time during simmering, nitrite poisoning can also occur at feeding time, causing the pigs to die.
Misconception 3: Filling Big Bellies with Thin Slop.
Some pig farmers feed pigs with a water-and-feed mixture at a feed-to-water ratio of 1:8 to 10, or even thinner, and also supply the pigs with drinking water. This feeding method is very unfavorable for pig fattening. The disadvantages of feeding pigs with water-and-feed mixture are: it increases the energy needed for water metabolism in the pig's body and increases the burden on the kidneys; it dilutes the concentration of digestive juices, which is not conducive to the secretion of digestive juices; and it speeds up the passage of feed through the digestive tract, thereby lowering the feed's digestibility. In order to increase the pig's feed intake and let it eat more and grow faster, it is generally recommended to feed thick porridge-like feed at a feed-to-water ratio of 1:2, or to feed a raw wet mash at a feed-to-water ratio of 1:1. In addition, sufficient drinking water should be provided.
Misconception 4: Feeding Pigs with Swill Is the Most Economical.
At present, a small number of pig farmers still feed pigs with swill and establish long-term cooperative relationships with restaurants. After the swill is transported home, it is stored in a built pool for use. In fact, swill contains many kinds of pathogenic microorganisms, which affect the pig's growth and development, and some are even fatal. In addition, when swill is stored, large numbers of pathogenic microorganisms multiply and can be spread by flies and other means, bringing losses to farmers. Pig farmers must stop feeding swill.
Misconception 5: Randomly Adding Antibiotics to Feed.
There is currently no effective vaccine to prevent some epidemic diseases, especially some bacterial infectious diseases, for which drug prevention has good results. In order to control the occurrence of disease and promote pig growth, many farmers add antibiotics indiscriminately without understanding the mechanism of action of antibiotics, posing a threat to food safety and human health. Farmers should establish a concept of safe production and add antibiotics in a targeted, appropriate and timely manner.|||So many details?|||At present, a small number of pig farmers still feed pigs with swill and establish long-term cooperative relationships with restaurants. After the swill is transported home, it is stored in a built pool for use. In fact, swill contains many kinds of pathogenic microorganisms, which affect the pig's growth and development, and some are even fatal. In addition, when swill is stored, large numbers of pathogenic microorganisms multiply and can be spread by flies and other means, bringing losses to farmers. Pig farmers must stop feeding swill.