Hog Food

[EagerJeeper]

Who here mills their own hog food?

I've been feeding an ADM product that I purchase in fifty pound bags. A bag currently costs $9.20. I'm happy with the product but it is expensive.

Bulk feed is not available in this area so I'll have to mill my own. I can purchase whole corn and soybeans, and then add trace minerals. Does anyone have any advice? Does anyone have a recipe?

What is an inexpensive mill? I feed about 20 hogs at a time.

What are people spending to get a hog to market weight? It cost's me about $210.00 to get a hog to 240lbs - but it's finally coming down.

[blonde]

I mill my own and yes it is cheaper than bought pellets.

I use wheat, lupins and barley in 5 different rations. I also have my diets formed by a nutritonist, and then just have to weigh out my grains and add meat meal, fish meal, blood meal, tallow, or molasses depending on what I am making up.
I feed ad-libatum to all my growers. I also do this for my sows but my lactating sows have a different ration to my dry sows. I buy all my grain in bulk tonnage. and can store on farm. I have a second hand mill (roll) and second hand tractor. I also have augers and silos to cater for raw grain and mixed grain diets. I also feed out of self feeders that will up to 1.5 ton.
cost of production is about 50%. depends on how cheap you can buy your grain. This will help bring the price of production down, but you also have fuel, wear and tear on machinery, power, cartage, levies. wages if employing staff and of course your own wages, as you time is not free!!

[EagerJeeper]

That's all very interesting. I'd like to see some photo's of your operation.

I believe getting a mill might be my next best step in improving my efficiency. I only feed about twenty animals at the most but it's very expensive buying bagged food.

A nearby meat packer can purchase live finished hogs in Illinois for .42 cents per pound. That's less than half of what I spend on feed per animal. I must be doing something wrong.

[blonde]

have sent you a private message, send me one back with your email address and I will send you a few photos to help out.