Purdue University
Agricultural Experiment Station	Mimeo. A.H. 155
Lafayette, Indiana	September 16, 1955
Minerals for Swine M. P. Plumlee and J. H. Conrad Department of Animal Husbandry
Insufficient minerals or improper mineral balance in your swine rations may prevent you from realizing full benefit of better breeding, or the feeding of such modern stimulants as antibiotics and unidentified growth factors. Swine grow faster for their size, reproduce at an earlier age and are more prolific than other farm aninals. The increased use of processed feed ingredients, coupled with the overall step^ed-up program of earlier marketing and greater production, make it essential that feeders pay particular attention to the mineral needs of all swine.
It is no longer enough to avoid mineral deficiencies; that show up in visible symptoms like weak, crooked legs and inability to reproduce roperly. Damage to fast gain and high production has occurred long before these visible symptoms appear.
The Needed Minerals - Why?
How Much?
While there are 13 mineral elements required by swine, only 6 are likely to be deficient in swine rations in Indiana. They are sodium, chlorine (salt), calcium, phosphorus, iodine, iron and copper. Table 1 summarizes some things we should know about these minerals. Notice that the requirements of the major lements are listed as percent of the total ration and the minor ones as milligrams per pound »f feed or per pig daily.
Sodium and chlorine will be deficieht in all common swine rations. Be sure that all animals have continued access to all of the salt they want. In addition to being required for many body functions, salt increases the palatability of other minerals in a mixture. The dollar value of providing swine with adequate salt was shown in Purdue experiments conducted by Professor Vestal about 10 years ago. Rations »f corn, a soy-alfalfa protein supplement, and a mineral mixture of equal parts limestone and steamed bonemeal were fed free-choice, with and without salt, to fattening swine in dry lot and on pasture. In the dry lot trial, 1 lb. of salt saved 214 lb. of corn, 46 lb. of protein supplement and 27 lb. of minerals. Gains were doubled. On pasture for each pound of salt consumed , there were 8 pounds of extra gain and a saving of 41.40 worth of feed.
Calcium is deficient in all swine rations not containing large quantities of animal by-products, such as, meat and bone scraps, tankage or fish meal. Corn and other grains, as well as the oil meals, are low in calcium. Ground limestone is the least expensive teed source of calcium, usually costing less than one cent a pound and containing about 38£ available calcium. Excess calcium may reduce growth rate and increase the incidence of the disease, parakeratosis. Vitamin D is essential for the utilization of calcium ^nd phosphorus, and can be supplied by sunshine if swine are outdoors, and bv fish oils. Eradiated yeast or sun-cured legumes indoors.
Phosphorus is relatively high in grains and protein concentrates and is usually low in pasture and roughage. However, corn is low in phosphorus for fast growing swine, ihus high corn rations may produce a phosphorus deficiency unless an extra phosphorus supplement is fed. Unlike calcium, phosphorus deficiency has an immediate depressing tffect on appetite, growth rate and feed efficiency.