Supplementary Feed: Protein and Energy for the Pig Ration

Supplementary Feed: Lifting the Ration Where It Counts

If you mix on the farm, you usually have cereals as the basic ration and need the right building blocks to go with them. That is exactly what this supplementary feed for pigs is for. Here you will find protein and energy sources as well as a prebiotic, with which you balance an existing ration instead of replacing it altogether. Every component comes as bagged feed in 20 and 25 kilograms.

Protein and energy for the basic ration

The protein side is covered by organic soya cake in a 20 kilo bag and organic sunflower cake in the same size. Both come from pressing the seed and keep part of the oil, which brings energy into the mix alongside the protein. Soya cake supplies the better amino acid pattern and suits young animals in rearing particularly well, while sunflower cake brings fibre with it too. For the energy side there is Auer organic wheat in a 25 kilo bag, for when your own cereal runs short or you are feeding a small group without a harvest of your own.

Supporting digestion with Jerusalem artichoke

The Kerbl Prebiotic Topinpur is a Jerusalem artichoke concentrate and acts as a prebiotic, which means it feeds the useful bacteria in the large intestine. It is used above all in phases where digestion is under pressure: after weaning, during a feed change, after a move or in hot spells. It does not replace a complete feed but supports the ration for a limited period. Dose it as the manufacturer states and watch the dung consistency and the appetite.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between cake and meal?
With cake the seed is pressed mechanically and part of the oil stays behind in the press cake. That brings energy into the ration alongside protein. Extracted meal is largely de-oiled, so it is higher in protein but lower in energy.

How high can the share in the ration be?
Protein sources are usually used in the single figure to low double figure percentage range, depending on the group and the performance level. Wheat tops up the energy side. A ration calculation using the values of your own cereal gives you the safest basis.

When do I use a prebiotic?
It makes sense around critical transitions, for instance after weaning, during a feed change or after a move. Give it over a manageable period and at the same time keep an eye on water supply, trough hygiene and quiet routines in the house.