Commercial Supplement Versus a Home-Mixed Supplement Plus Corn Free Choice for Finishing Swine

(From Introduction)

In Tennessee there are approximately 1,182,000 hogs reported on farms, valued at $33,214,000. In Rutherford County, there are approximately 22,500 swine reported on farms valued at $600,000.

Swine suffer from nutritient deficiencies much more frequently than cattle or sheep, chiefly because they cannot utilize large amounts of roughages. They grow much more rapidly than do cattle or sheep and the B-complex vitamins are synthesized in their digestive tracts to a much less extent than in the four-fold stomach of ruminants.

Swine production in Middle Tennessee is becoming more important with nine counties selling pigs through feeder pig associations. With the increased emphasis being placed on swine in Middle Tennessee, it was felt some work needed to be done to determine if farmers could make more economical gains from swine. The purpose of the work was to determine if it would be more economical for farmers to have their own supplements mixed or buy commercial supplements. The effects on average daily gain, feed efficiency, and back fat probe were observed.