Written by AKKPS Member Debra Allen of Allen's Acres

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Pork, the most consumed meat in the world, is one of the most economical sources of animal proteins for human consumption. Pigs grow fast, offer more meat per breeding female and, therefore, are more prolific than other livestock species (Adesehinwa et al. 2010). The goal of pig production is to convert feedstuffs into edible pork for high quality food proteins. The predominant component of pork is skeletal muscle and, in modern days, the efficiency of pork production is measured by the efficiency of lean (i.e., muscle) gain rather than whole body weight gain. Thus, the knowledge about the growth and development of muscle of pigs is fundamentally important from either a technical or an economic standpoint.

The nutrients that pigs consume transfer directly to the meat they produce, including flavor, nutritional content, and more.

The first, and most important fact is that pigs are omnivores, not herbivores. 

Period. They cannot properly thrive on a pasture or vegetable/grain diet only. 

A pig is instinctually an opportunist and will eat almost anything, however, left to roam freely, they love to forage for a wide range of foods, including:

• Grass
• Nuts
• Roots
• Tubers (thick underground part of a stem)
• Invertebrates
• Eggs
• Frogs
• Small rodents
• Birds
• Carrion
• Garbage

This can increase the amount of protein in their diet, and is the reason feral hogs, who forage on hundreds of acres, can exist in the wild. As farmers, we cannot provide hundreds of acres for our pigs to provide  the required amount of protein to thrive. 

 

Animal proteins, such as meat and animal by products, can provide required proteins but feeding these things to pigs is illegal in most countries, and most of the US has laws in place to prevent this. Its because of the threat of disease transmission. And yes, there are diseases that can be transmitted to humans from any type of meat.

 Milk proteins are excellent sources of amino acids but are generally low in protein compared to grain products, abd excess calcium or a discrepancy in the Ca/Ph ratio can cause kidney stones in pigs. This is why a dairy diet can be harmful to pigs in excess. 

 

Choosing the right feed is an important part of raising pigs. Like humans, pigs’ bodies and health are highly influenced by what they eat. Providing a quality pig feed can support your pigs’ well-being, as well as your goal of producing nutritious pork for your family.

 

A well-balanced diet for pigs includes energy, protein, vitamins, minerals and other essential nutrients to support your pigs’ growth, health and development. How much of these nutrients your pigs need depends on several factors, including life stage, weight, breed and environment. Many pig owners depend on a complete feed as a convenient way to provide a balanced diet for pigs in any life stage or environment.

 

Proteins are made of combinations of amino acids, and they are not all the same. Pigs have specific amino acid needs to help support everyday body function, such as digestion, muscle development and growth.

 

One amino acid, lysine, plays a bigger role than others. Lysine is an amino acid commonly limited in grains, but essential for body function. Without enough lysine, your pigs can’t efficiently use the other essential amino acids in their feed for optimal development. Diets of only corn and soybeans might provide limited lysine – less than needed to support optimal pig nutrition – while other non-essential amino acids may exceed the amount needed. 

 

Think of amino acids as bricks and mortar working together to build a wall. Imagine the supplier delivered too many bricks and not enough mortar. Even if the bricks were in perfect condition, they would go to waste because you can’t build a wall without cementing the bricks together.

 

Pigs are monogastric (single stomach) animals and are inefficient digesters of fiber (only 50% efficiency depending on type of fiber and age of pigs) therefore they are not suited to eating pasture alone and need to be provided with supplementary feeding. It is recommended that pigs are provided with a complete (manufactured) diet or a home mixed diet that has been formulated to meet the pig’s needs. Cereal grains are a good feed source although they are best utilized by the pig if they have been cracked, rolled or soaked.

 

Swine require six general classes of nutrients: water, carbohydrates, fats, protein (amino acids), minerals, and vitamins. Energy, although not a specific nutrient, is an important nutritional component and is primarily derived from the oxidation of carbohydrates and fats. In addition, amino acids (from protein) that exceed the animal’s requirements for maintenance and tissue protein synthesis provide energy when their carbon skeletons are oxidized. Antibiotics, chemotherapeutic agents, microbial supplements (prebiotics and probiotics), enzymes, and other feed additives are often added to swine diets to increase the rate and efficiency of gain, to improve digestibility, and for other purposes, but they are not considered nutrients.

 

Amino acids, normally supplied by dietary protein, are required for maintenance, muscle growth, development of fetuses and supporting tissues in gestating sows, and milk production in lactating sows. Animal body proteins perform diverse biochemical and physiological functions necessary for life. Most of these proteins are physically presented as cellular or tissue constituents, such as those in the muscle. Functional proteins include enzymes, transporters, hormones, and antibodies, while reproductive proteins are those in sperm, eggs, and milk. 

Of the 22 amino acids, 12 are synthesized by the animal; the other 10 must be provided in the diet for normal growth. The 10 dietary essential amino acids for swine are canarginine, histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan, and valine. Cystine and tyrosine  meet a portion of the requirement for methionine and phenylalanine, respectively. The percentages of crude protein listed in Dietary Nutrient Requirements of Growing Pigs Allowed Ad Lib Feed (90% dry matter) a,b,c and Reproductive Measures and Dietary Nutrient Requirements of Gestating and Lactating Sows,b provide the required levels of lysine (the first limiting amino acid) and sufficient amounts of the other essential amino acids in diets consisting of corn and soybean meal. The dietary lysine requirement during the early starter phase is quite high (1.70%) but decreases to 1.53% and 1.40% during the middle and final starter phases, respectively. The requirement continues to decrease throughout the growing-finishing stage from 1.12% during the early growing phase to 0.71% during late finishing.

The amino acids of greatest practical importance in diet formulation (ie, those most likely to be at deficient levels) are lysine, tryptophan, threonine, and methionine. Corn, the basic grain in most swine diets, is markedly deficient in lysine and tryptophan. The other principal grains for pigs (grain sorghum, barley, and wheat) are low in lysine and threonine. The first limiting amino acid in soybean meal is methionine, but sufficient amounts are provided when soybean meal is combined with cereal grains into a complete diet that meets the lysine requirement. 

In general, a kunekune requires a 16% protein diet with a minimum of 1% lysine. Again this is a baseline as requirements vary based on age etc. Piglets may do well on an 18% protein diet and a higher lysine content up to 1.6%. Older pigs may do fine on 15% protein and 0.8% lysine. Pregnant sows require higher protein levels. 

There are several commercially available pig feeds found at most farm supply stores. Most local feed mills will have several swine formulations. Avoid any with antibiotics or dewormers in them. You can also work with an animal nutritionist to develop your own personal mix and get it produced at a feed mill. Whichever you choose, having the correct amount of lysine in the feed will help ensure your KuneKunes thrive, regardless of their end use as breeding stock or as meat animals.