Forgotten Lore of Old Hog Feed Methods
One of the great many fading bits of knowledge is how to feed animals with what’s around you. This is particularly true with hogs. Modern pig feed is usually corn with soy and a few additives. In times gone by, pigs were fed mostly on green feeds. Older breeds like these Asian Heritage Hogs still carry that fine trait, to make greens into pork. Most commercial producers balk at the idea, claiming that fiber retards pig growth. Some breeds were bred for it.

Above, a sow brings a mouthful of Dock to her 4-week-old piglets that are just beginning to eat solid foods. Even with modern market hogs, greens in moderation improve health, vitality, and growth. They help fix the gut and provide vitamins and minerals that they otherwise don’t get. We grow specific forage crops for our hogs, as well as utilize wild ones. A personal favorite is dock. Dock leaves are high in protein, fairly low in fiber for a leaf, and are one of the easier digestible greens for a pig.
The leaves run 16-20 percent protein with moderate levels of lysine. They have decent protein, but low total energy, which is why modern breeds can’t handle it in high quantities very well. My daughters have a daily chore of chopping an armload of dock. This accounts for roughly 10-11 percent of their total diet. I have gone as high as 50 percent green forage with my pigs and had acceptable results on the butcher table.
There are a lot of other great options, but Dock is the main one to talk about in this issue. Dock can cause problems in sheep, horses, and possibly cattle if over-fed. It does contain oxlilates, which can build up in the kidneys if over-done. But then again, so can spinach. However, pigs have no known concerns with it. Going forward, I’d like to talk more about unconventional animal feeds and lesser-known breeds of livestock. If you have any questions or interests in the matter, send correspondence to the publisher.
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