Nutrition for Show Pigs

The successful feeding and development of a show pig is both an art and a science. A good understanding go the science of animal nutrition is beneficial to the person responsible for the proper development and conditioning of the pig from birth to show time. The following is a basic description of swine nutrition principles that relate to pig development and the conditioning of the show animal.

Genetics is the major factor affecting the muscle development of show pigs. The best show pigs have the genetic ability to grow fast, produce large amounts of muscle and stay lean to heavy weights. Nutrition and the feeding program must provide the nutrients necessary for the animal to reach it's genetic potential. We can use the feeding program to help accent the muscle and minimize body fat, but no nutrition program can cause production of more muscle than the genetic capacity allows.

Understanding growth and muscle development is the key to designing a successful feeding program. From birth to 50 pounds, pigs grow very rapidly, producing body organs, muscle tissue and skeleton. Very little fat is deposited, except for that necessary for proper function of the organs.

Young pigs should be fed diets balanced in amino acids, high in energy, with milk products included to supply the necessary nutrients. The pig should be full-fed to allow for maximum growth of organs, muscle and skeleton to provide the foundation for major muscle development in the next period of growth. At 40-60 pounds, the pig begins the growing period where the major amounts of muscle will be developed. From 50 to 200 pounds (may vary from 175 to 225 pounds), a good pig will produce 90 percent or more of the muscle that will be present at show time. The pig's body system is set to produce muscle during this period and we must provide the nutrition needed to allow for maximum muscle development. Restricting feed intake or feeding diets limiting in protein or energy will limit muscle growth.

If we do not allow muscle to be developed at a maximum rat e in the growing phase, total muscle mass can be reduced. The capacity for muscle growth decreases as the pig reaches the end of the growing period and muscle not put on by 150 pounds will not be deposited at heavier weights, resulting in a pig with less muscle at show time.

To maximize the amount of muscle in pigs, concentrate on supplying the right diet in adequate amounts during the growing period. muscle development requires the proper amounts and balance of amino acids but also requires adequate energy. Lean pigs depositing large amounts of muscle require a high level of energy intake. Muscle contains about 23 percent protein, 10 percent fat, and 67 percent water. Some fat will be put down as the pig deposits muscle. This is necessary for optimum muscle development. Many show pig feeders restrict feed or energy intake during the growing period in an attempt to reduce fat at show time. Others will feed diets very high in protein with limited energy. While these systems worked in old fashioned, fat pigs, it is a serious mistake in today's modern, ultra lean pigs.

Diets with excess protein that are low in energy require the pig to break down body protein tissue to supply energy for growth. This causes a very high workload on the kidneys to rid the body of excess nitrogen. It also causes the pig to reduce the rate of muscle growth to shift energy to critical body functions other than muscle development. lean pigs with a high capacity for muscle development should be full fed a high energy diet with the proper balance of amino acids to 200 pounds body weight. A moderate amount of fat in the grower diet will assure that adequate energy intake is met and will not cause excess backfat to be laid down.

After the growing period (greater than 200 pounds), growth rate slows and the pig switches metabolism from muscle growth to maintenance and fattening. Now is the time to switch the diet and feeding management to maintain the muscle already developed and to minimize fat deposition. A different ratio of amino acids in diet protein is required to maintain muscle than was needed for muscle growth.

Also, limiting energy intake to the level needed for maintaining body functions, muscle maintenance, and some muscle growth will prevent the pig from laying down excess fat. We can also use this period to burn off excess body fat by supplying a properly formulated, low energy diet with adequate amino acids. However, if you limit amino acid intake below the level needed to maintain body function and muscle maintenance, the pig will breakdown muscle tissue to use the amino acids for other body functions.

The art of fitting the pig is in determining the amount of feed needed daily to maintain muscle, take off excess body fat, and still maintain adequate growth rates to reach the right weight at show time.