Market Hog Feed

Video Transcript

"When feeding a market hog make sure that you choose a high quality feed source. In the Verde valley the feed of choice is Purina Show Chow. At the start of your project it is recommended to feed one bag of Purina Medicated Hog Grower. This ensures that during transport you decrease stress and keep any coccidiosis or any other disentery or diarrhea caused symptoms from your market hog. While feeding you feed Purina Show Chow Hog Foundation which is their starter at a rate of three pounds per feeding. So on average you’re feeding six pounds per day. A market hog gains very efficiently at one pound of gain per three pounds of feed. The grower is at a higher protein which allows for heavier muscle development. Foundation is at 21% protein intake. At the last month of show, preparing for show, you switch to Purina Final Push. The Final Push has a lower protein content at 19.5% and a higher fat content. The finisher allows for the back fat covering which is called finish and marbling in your hog carcass. Pelleted feed tends to be a little more wasty. Hogs that smash this feed will not eat the crumbles. Other showmen choose to use a hog feed that is not in the pelleted form at a higher protein content which some claim allows for a higher rate gain. For show hogs it is not recommended to feed slop. Slop tends to contain many organisms that may cause illness in your market hog. It also doesn't allow for proper muscle development and marbling. Some showmen tend to believe that free feeding your hog allows for a higher rate of gain, but in my personal experience I realized that feeding a hog twice a day allows for maximum daily gain. I believe this to be true because when a hog is allowed to feed freely throughout the day they are never hungry so the body never feels that it needs to store energy."