HELP my 1st Pig

[CrealCritter]

Lol you could say that I suppose. He won't gain so much on corn, it's what 8% protein I think?

You going to be cool with butchering him yourself?

I think I'll be OK butchering him. I've butchered 2 farrow hogs before so I'm just a beginner. Corn is low protein yes for sure.

 

[baymule]

Soak the corn in water for several days to sour it. It is easier to digest. Hard dry corn doesn't fully digest and will show up in the poop. I am soaking the corn I'm feeding our hogs, plus adding whey. I have 7 buckets going. I pour some of the sour water into the next bucket to get it going. They actually eat less, are satisfied instead of screaming for more and I don't see chunks of corn in their poop.

Normally I don't corn feed pigs, but these had been corn fed all their lives and rejected pellets.

 

[sumi]

I would love to see him covered up in chickens like that! They are probably sharing body heat with him, taking his and keeping him warm in return. So sweet.

You guys mentioned corn earlier in the thread… I used to put some cracked corn in an old pot, fill it with water, bring it to boil (just) and turn the heat off. I then wrapped the pot in an old towel and left it overnight. The towel helped keep the heat in longer and the corn soaked up the water in the pot, leaving a nice "porridge" for the pigs, which I sometimes mixed with a bit of water and dry dog food to fatten them up and condition them better for slaughter.

 

[Beekissed]

Soak the corn in water for several days to sour it. It is easier to digest. Hard dry corn doesn't fully digest and will show up in the poop. I am soaking the corn I'm feeding our hogs, plus adding whey. I have 7 buckets going. I pour some of the sour water into the next bucket to get it going. They actually eat less, are satisfied instead of screaming for more and I don't see chunks of corn in their poop.

Normally I don't corn feed pigs, but these had been corn fed all their lives and rejected pellets.

It's a great thing, to ferment their grain first. It changes the sugars in the corn to a more readily used nutrient and they are able to use the whole grain in that manner. I'm betting you are smelling a difference in their manure as well. Works that way for my chickens.

Another way I could tell that no more waste grain was coming through undigested....the dogs stopped eating the chicken manure. No nutrition to be found there any longer.

 

[baymule]

2 weeks......PORK CHOPS!!!

 

[CrealCritter]

Sounds like it's time. Hope he makes ya some good eatin'!

Me too... I believe we'll be having white beans -n ham hocks either tomorrow or Sunday.

 

[baymule]

After we took the turkey off the pit yesterday, I had the ham hocks from the red wattle hog we processed in June thawed out and ready. I put 'em on to smoke while we ate. Smoke those ham hocks!

 

[frustratedearthmother]

It's easier when they start being difficult

True dat!

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Looks good and I'll betcha he'll taste great too!

 

[baymule]

Congratulations! Job well done!