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What do you feed your pigs?

 
Steward of piddlers
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I do not have any hogs, but I am interested in the future to raise some.

I know of a gentleman locally who feeds his pigs a bagged grain mix as a primary source of food and supplements with bakery waste. I also know of a local cafe that keeps 'pig buckets' of scraps that get picked up daily.

How does everyone feed their pigs? Where do you source your food sources? Do you offer different things?

Thanks for your insights!
 
master steward
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I pasture feed may pigs and use grain from a neighboring farmer.   Much depends how firm you are into organic.  One of the more successful people I have known at raising pigs , for his family only, had a circuit of restaurants he collected scraps from. I suspect he put zero dollars into pig feed.  He even chose the restaurants based upon routes he would normally drive.  I should note that this was in an area with many resorts.
 
master rocket scientist
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I buy bulk grain, GMO-free, not organic, but close. Getting certified organic is expensive and not easy.
I used to buy ground grain as it is cheaper by the ton.(Average of $400 a ton.)
Now I purchase pellets as there is much less waste.
All garden and kitchen waste goes to the piggies.
The local restaurants will not separate waste (No Meat), so we do not utilize them.
The local grocery store, however, will sell me a large box of sad greens  for $3
Everything has gotten more expensive.
Weiner pigs were $25 for years, now they are well over $100! I paid $145 each for three good-sized healthy 8-10 week old piggies.
One ton of pelletized feed costs me almost $700, including the cost of a 130-mile round-trip.
Having a hog butchered averages $200-$300. (But it is fast, easy, and the piggies ride home in the back of the Subaru.)

You might think this is way too expensive.
But, there is nothing as tasty and as healthy for you as happy home-raised animals, without hormones and with high-quality food.
There is no comparison with yucky commercial raised pork!
 
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