Feeding pigs with corn alone provides unbalanced nutrition; to make the most of its benefits, seven key points need attention

    Corn is the most widely used feed. However, because its nutritional composition is relatively unbalanced, it has many shortcomings. To give full play to the benefits of corn, the following seven points must be noted when feeding pigs.

Pigs

    1. Do not feed it alone. When corn is used alone to feed pigs, more than 6 kg of corn is needed for every 1 kg of weight gain. But with compound feed, only 2.5-3 kg of corn is needed.

    2. Feed after saccharification. After cornmeal is saccharified, part of the starch can be converted into sugar, which can make pigs enjoy eating and grow quickly. The method is: put the cornmeal into a vat, then pour in 2 times its amount of just-boiled hot water and stir thoroughly into a paste, then sprinkle a 5 cm thick layer of dry powder on its surface; after 3-4 hours it will be saccharified.

    3. Supply protein feed. The protein content in corn is low and its quality is poor, so it cannot fully meet the growth needs of pigs. Therefore, protein feed must be supplemented. You can add 15% soybean cake or rapeseed cake, etc. to the daily ration. Piglets should be given 5% fish meal.

    4. Supply minerals. The mineral content in corn is low, so bone meal, calcium hydrogen phosphate, selenium, iron, copper, zinc, manganese, etc. should be added to the daily ration.

    5. Supply vitamins. The vitamin content in corn is low, so green fodder must be added when feeding. If green fodder is lacking, a multivitamin for livestock and poultry can be added.

    6. After grinding, it must not be stored for a long time. Corn should be ground before feeding, and ground cornmeal must not be stored for a long time. Because corn has a high fat content, it easily deteriorates over time. It is best to use up the ground amount within 15 days, and in summer it is best to use it up within 10 days.

    7. It should be soaked before feeding. After soaking, corn can absorb water, expand and soften, making it easier for pigs to chew and easier to digest and absorb. Soaking method: add 1-1.5 times its amount of water to the cornmeal and soak for about 2 hours.