Do Pigs Eat Maize Cobs?

Maize (Zea mays L.), a major cereal grown worldwide, generates cobs which can be used as pig feed ingredients (Frank et al., 1983; Kanengoni et al., 2004; Ndubuisi et al., 2008).

Can maize cobs be used as animal feed?

Maize cobs are a highly fibrous product with many agricultural and industrial applications. In agriculture, they are used for fuel, litter for poultry and other animals, mulch and soil conditioner, and as fodder for ruminants despite their low nutritive value (Evers et al., 1994; Jansen, 2012).

Can you feed pigs whole corn on the cob?

An alternative feeding method for these hogs would be to feed whole, shelled corn and a complete protein vitamin mineral supplement free choice.

Why is maize good for pigs?

More than 50% of the endosperm is floury, this making maize one of the main energy sources in pig diets, because it has a high starch content (> 60%) together with a medium fat content of 3.5%. The other half of the endosperm is hard and consists of a protein tissue that surrounds the starch granules.

How do you make pig feed with maize?

Feeding Instructions
Mix 2 parts concentrate to 3 parts crushed maize by mass to produce the sow lactating meal, which should be fed to the lactating sows. It is vital to use maize meal not maize bran (makreshi). Care must be taken to mix the concentrate and the crushed maize according to mass, not volume.

What can you do with maize cobs?

Uses

1. Bedding for animals – cobs absorb moisture and provide a compliant surface.
2. Ground up and washed (then re-dried) to make cat litter.
3. A mild abrasive for cleaning building surfaces, when coarsely ground.
4. A corncob pipe.
5. As a biofuel.
6. Charcoal production.
7. Environmentally-friendly rodenticide (powdered corn cob)

Can pigs eat maize stalks?

I have found out, though, that the great thing about growing corn for pigs is that they will eat and utilize the whole stalk of corn. So, harvesting for pig consumption will only consist of chopping corn stalks off at the ground and feeding directly to the pigs.

What should you never feed pigs?

It’s ok to feed pigs uncontaminated fruits, vegetables, bread, grains, dairy, eggs, and vegetable oils. Do not feed pigs meat, fish, or their bones, oils, or juices, or ANY food that has touched these substances. All food scraps can be composted.

Is white maize good for pigs?

Maize is used as a grain source in pig feeds because it is high in DE and low in protein and therefore used mainly as an energy source.

Can pigs live on corn alone?

Pigs cannot survive on grains, pig chow or corn alone. For this reason many pig farmers add an antibacterial compound and/or vitamins to their pigs’ diets. The compounds increase the growth rate and lower feeding costs to the pig farmer.

Is broken maize good for pigs?

Good pig feed contains sufficient energy, protein, minerals and vitamins. Rice bran, broken rice, maize, soya-beans, cassava, vegetables and distillers’ residues are often used in pig feed.

What do pigs like to eat the most?

Most pigs love: cooked broccoli, pitted apricots, cucumbers, dark green lettuce, cooked potatoes, beets, grapes, pumpkins, all squashes, zucchini, snow peas, spinach, yams, kale, tomatoes, chard, carrots, pears, apples, berries, oranges, grapefruit, melons, pitted cherries, pitted peaches.

What can boost pig growth?

As an energy source, choose a grain mix of barley, wheat, sorghum and corn for your pig’s diet. At least half the mix should be number two yellow corn. Though low in protein, it is considered a primary energy source in pig diets. It is also one of the most economical feedstuffs available for swine production.

Can pigs eat whole maize?

The food was perceived to be easier on the pigs’ gastro-intestinal tracts. The increased crude fibre share was seen to affect the pigs’ health positively. From a feed perspective, the entire corn plant can be used instead of only the cob.

What do you give a pig to eat to fatten up?

What to feed pigs to fatten them up? Whatever you choose, 50% of feed should be yellow corn. The remainder of your pig’s feed must be a mix of barley, wheat, and sorghum. Feed your pig various grains and observe which it likes best.

Are corn cobs good fertilizer?

Are Corn Cobs Good for the Garden? Absolutely. Corn cobs are suitable fertilizer and compost materials, and they even have additional advantages compared to other compost materials.

What are cobs used for?

Cobs are used as pleasure riding horses, in the sport of field hunting and in harness. When shown, they often have their mane hogged or roached. This practice harks back to the time when it was more practical to keep the mane out of the way of reins and harness than fussing over braiding it.

How do you harvest maize cobs?

The maize should be harvested soon after maturity at a moisture content of around 30 percent. The cobs should be husked and any affected by insects or mould should be discarded. Drying. In a well-designed and built crib the moisture content should go down to around 14 percent within about six weeks.

What is poisonous to a pig?

Bracken, hemlock, cocklebur, henbane, ivy, acorns, ragwort, foxglove, elder, deadly nightshade, rhododendron, and laburnum are all highly toxic to pigs. Jimsonweed—also known as Hell’s Bells, Pricklyburr, Devil’s Weed, Jamestown Weed, Stinkweed, Devil’s Trumpet, or Devil’s Cucumber—is also poisonous to them.

What animals eat corn cobs?

Birds, deer, raccoons, squirrels, even black bears will help themselves to your sweet corn patch, usually right before you’re ready to harvest.

How do you feed pigs cheaply?

Here are five ways to reduce swine feeding costs

1. Incorporate DDGS into diets.
2. Use small grains when available.
3. Take a look at other co-products.
4. Use fish meal substitutes.
5. Eliminate inorganic phosphorus.