How to Make a Swine Gain Weight

Whether you plan to show your swine at the fair or sell it at the market, it is important that you know and understand how to make the swine gain weight. If you need the swine to gain a certain amount of weight by a set date, take control of the process by keeping the swine as comfortable as possible, increasing daily feedings and monitoring weight gain.

Things You'll Need

  • Source of feed (corn, barley, wheat, oats)
  • Water
  • Protein supplement (eggs, nursery diet, plasma proteins, dried whey)
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Instructions

    • 1

      Provide dry housing to help swine battle the elements. This will help the swine stay cool and comfortable during the summer and warm during the winter. Given that swine do not have sweat glands, shaded areas are especially important in reducing heat stress that can limit weight gain.

    • 2

      Supply the swine with fresh water. Water is necessary for proper hydration and weight gain. If you own an automatic watering system, check the nipples every week for proper functioning.

    • 3

      Feed the swine only enough to last two or three days during the first week. This will ensure that the food is fresh and clean. After the first week, use a self-feeder so that the swine can eat as much as desired. Check the self-feeder at least twice every day to ensure that food is always available to the swine.

    • 4

      Monitor and record the weight of the swine each week. Healthy pigs will gain 1.5 to 1.8 lbs. per day if fed properly. Use this information to calculate the average amount of weight gained per day. Divide the "weight gained" by the "number of days" to determine the average amount of weight gained per day.

    • 5

      Increase the number of daily feedings to promote weight gain. Swine can be fed three to four times per day. Top dress the feed to promote even more weight gain. You can top dress the feed by adding two raw eggs, a small amount of nursery diet, plasma proteins or dried whey to the feed.