best pig feed formulation and ingredients for different stage

how to formula pig feed ingredients

1. Reasonable selection of raw materials

The selection of raw materials is the first and most important step in formulating pig feed. When preparing the formulation, you must note the following points when choosing raw materials.


First, paying attention to the volume of raw materials to formula pig feed. To meet pigs’ daily nutrient needs, raw material volume must match their digestive capacity. Too much volume limits intake and strains digestion; too little leaves pigs hungry and irritable, hindering growth and development.

Second, should be based on local conditions, the principle of local materials, making full use of local raw material resources.


Third, paying attention to the characteristics of feed ingredients to formula pig feed. Understand raw material characteristics like palatability, toxin content, and risk of pollution or mold. Limit or avoid using materials with poor palatability and toxins, and never use polluted ones.

Fourth, paying attention to the type and amount of raw materials to formula pig feed. Variety of raw materials should be diversified in order to play a variety of nutritional complementarity among raw materials.

Pig feed commonly includes 50%-70% grains like corn and wheat, 10%-20% bran, 15%-20% soy products, 3%-7% animal proteins like fish meal, under 5% grass or leaf meal, 3%-3.5% shell or stone powder, 2%-2.5% bone meal, and under 0.5% salt.

formula pig feed ingredients

2. Processing modulation should be reasonable

The crushing process is the second step in formulating pig feed ingredients. In addition to crushing wheat bran, rice bran, fish flour, bone meal, and other powdered raw materials, one should also crush corn, beans, rice, and other raw materials properly. Raw soybeans need to be fried before use.

3. Mixing pig feed ingredients well

The mixing process is the third step in formulating pig feed ingredients. When mixing pig feed, blend all ingredients thoroughly to ensure complete nutrition. Uneven mixing, especially of premixes, can lead to drug or trace element poisoning in pigs.

4. Mastering pig breeding standards

Pigs with different production purposes and different growth stages have different nutrient requirements. Therefore, one should select different feeding standards to formulate the diet according to the production purpose, age, and weight of pigs.

pig feed formulation

types of pig feed

1. energy type

Energy pig feed has less than 18% crude fiber and under 20% crude protein in dry matter. Formulate pig feed with grains like barley, corn, wheat, millet, rice, and various brans. These provide high energy, less crude fiber, and good palatability.

2. roughage type

Roughage type pig feed ingredients mainly include hay, straw, leaves, grass flour, agricultural by-products, and leaves, etc. Generally, air-dried feeds have lower nutritional value compared to other feeds.

3. protein type

Protein pig feeds, with low water and over 20% protein, include plant or animal proteins. Use soybean, soybean cake, peanut cake, and rapeseed cake in formulas. Animal protein feeds: cicada pupae, fish and shrimp meal, meat meal, dairy products, etc.

4. mineral type

Include vitamins A, B, D, etc., in pig feed formulations to enhance metabolism. Mineral feeds, vital for growth, should contain calcium carbonate, copper sulfate, salt, potassium iodide, and other minerals in appropriate amounts.

ingredients for pig feed formulation for different stage

Add vitamins, minerals, and trace elements to pig feed for better effects, basing recipes on pig weight. Since feed components vary nutritionally, proportion them scientifically for different pig growth stages.

1. recipe for small pigs (about 10-20 kg)

Corn meal 57%, soybean meal 20%, fish meal 5%, rice bran or wheat bran 15%, calcium hydrogen phosphate 1%, shellac 0.5%, salt 0.35%, premix 1% (containing trace elements, vitamins, non-nutritive additives, etc.) .

This pig feed formulation contains 3230 calories/kg of digestible energy, 18.4% crude protein, 3.5% crude fiber, 0.73% calcium, 0.682% phosphorus and 0.92% lysine, all indicators meet the nutritional needs of piglet diets, which is a relatively standard piglet feed nutrition formula.

2. formulation for large pigs (about 60 to 90 kg or more)

Corn meal 70%, soybean meal 15%, rice bran or wheat bran 12%, calcium hydrogen phosphate 1.0%, shellac 0.8%, salt 0.35%, premix (containing trace elements, vitamins, non-nutritive additives, etc.) 1%.

This pig feed formula has 14% crude protein, 3240 calories/kg digestible energy, 3.7% crude fiber, 0.60% calcium, 0.535% phosphorus, 0.65% lysine, all indicators can meet the nutritional needs of large pigs’ diet, and it is not too high, it is a relatively standard nutrition formula for large pigs’ feed.

However, lysine is only 0.02% more than 0.63% of the feeding standard. In recent years, climate warming and the flooding rainy season have promoted the widespread occurrence and growth of mold in food production. Additionally, food and feed storage and transportation also contribute to increased mycotoxin production, which directly results in the increasingly serious harm to livestock and poultry.

3. Formula for medium-sized pigs (about 20-60 kg)

Corn meal 62%, soybean meal 20%, rice bran or wheat bran 15%, calcium hydrogen phosphate 1.2%, shellac 0.8%, salt 0.35%, premix 1% (containing trace elements, vitamins, non-nutritive additives, etc.) .

This pig feed formula, ideal for medium-sized pigs, contains 16% crude protein, 3180 kcal/kg energy, 3.8% crude fiber, 0.656% calcium, 0.577% phosphorus, and 0.74% lysine, matching standard nutritional needs. Removing fish meal lowers lysine by 0.01%, slightly below the 0.75% standard requirement. However, the correlation is not significant and can be ignored.

attention to preparing ingredients for pig feed formulation

1. When to formula pig feed, you must pay attention to the relationship between the intake of pigs and the size of feed volume. If the feed is excessive, the pig’s gastrointestinal volume will be limited, preventing it from eating.

As a result, the nutrients in the feed cannot be absorbed, and the pig’s nutritional requirements cannot be met. On the contrary, if the feed is too little, it will also affect the utilization rate of the feed if it cannot reach satiety according to the feeding standard.

2. In pig feed formulation, ensure comprehensive nutrition by balancing protein, amino acids, energy, minerals, and vitamins to meet feeding standards. Use a variety of feeds to enhance nutritional value and control crude fiber content for appropriate feed volume.

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