Pigs to Pork
NUTRITION
Balancing Swine Rations
James R. Foster, Animal Sciences Department
AS-326 Feb. 1970
SUMMARY
Most of the nutritional requirements for swine have been fairly well established. If one knows these requirements and the amount of each of the nutrients available from the ingredients used, then, by a series of mathematical calculations it is possible to formulate a ration.
When choosing a premix, it is important to know its level of vitamins and trace-minerals. Once the ingredients for the ration are selected it is important that a thorough job of mixing is accomplished.
On-the-farm mixing of rations is not necessarily the most economical approach. Such factors as your nutritional 'know-how'; labor supply; price and availability of soybean meal, vitamin and mineral sources; volume of feed used; and mixing equipment available must be evaluated.
If you are mixing your own rations you must assume the responsibility for meeting the hog's nutritional requirements.
introduction
Balancing swine rations is largely a matter of correcting the nutritional deficiencies? of the cereal grain serving as the Primary source of energy. Yellow com is the main cereal grain used in Midwest swine rations.
Com contains from 7 to 10 per cent protein, and this protein, except in the case of Opaque 2 (hi-lysine) com, is deficient in many of the amino acids required by hogs. Therefore, the quality (amino acid balance) of this protein is poor.
Com is also deficient in many of the minerals and vitamins required by swine. Therefore, to balance a swine ration in which corn is used as the source of energy, we need to add: (1) a high-quality protein source; (2) minerals; and (3) vitamins.
The amount of mineral and vitamin fortification necessary depends upon both the weight of the pig and the protein source or sources. For example, many of the min eral and vitamin requirements are reduced (as a percentage of the ration) as the pig grows from birth to market weight. When animal protein is included in the ration, less mineral supplementation is usually required than when all the protein comes from plant sources. Sow rations need a different level of vitamin and mineral fortification than pig rations.
SAMPLE FORMULATION
A procedure for balancing a ration is shown in this bulletin. The necessary calcu lations are made and the answers entered on the worksheet on page 8.