Swine Superfoods: How to Pick the Best Cover Crops for Your Pigs

[@someguy9520]

I randomly stumbled onto your channel through shorts. I am not a farmer, not a vegan, but I love it when I see how good meat is produced and how the animals are treated The many ways you grow your own plants for pig feed or use foods that would be thrown away for the pigs is lovely as I highly dislike how unefficient food waste is managed The way you explain it to ppl that know nothing of these topics, makes it easy to understand and interesting. Your tone and choice of words is relaxing to the point i let some of your videos play in the background to fall asleep

[@DowdleFamilyFarms]

Thank you for the kind words. I appreciate it. But just don't listen to the videos while driving!

[@brycewiborg8095]

Your videos fascinate me. We grazed hogs on some of the crops you mentioned in Minnesota 50 years ago. Thank you for taking me back.

[@DowdleFamilyFarms]

Nice, its a great way of raising pigs, improving pasture and raising some great pork,

[@notwrkn]

Thank you for getting right to the point. You also have some of the best information and it is all well presented!

[@DowdleFamilyFarms]

I appreciate that!

[@wisconsinbigcheese6309]

Thanks for taking time to share your knowledge

[@DowdleFamilyFarms]

My pleasure!

[@ashleehouse5204]

I've ordered alot of these for my goats to forage too. I'm glad to hear the pigs will eat them too. I saw one guy on yt that just feeds cracked corn and soy. I wanted to reduce cost but not just feed corn and soy. Thank you for these videos. I'm in southern Texas, so I think I can grow alot of the same stuff as you.

[@DowdleFamilyFarms]

Yes, I think you can grow a lot of the same stuff. Thanks for the kind words. I appreciate it.

[@johnduggan9words]

I supplement my pig ration with possums and offal. Do you feed similar to your pigs or are they fully veg?

[@DowdleFamilyFarms]

No. It’s illegal

[@deamoneater357]

Something that is sometimes overlooked is oak trees. Oaks make acorns and hogs love them. The trees should be planted on your border lands.

[@DowdleFamilyFarms]

We've got 100 acres of them, they just aren't all fence in.

[@janetjohnson998]

Great info! Thanks.

[@DowdleFamilyFarms]

Glad it was helpful!

[@atangapaul1141]

This is quite an effort you have put into making this video. Allow me to ask if you do ration their feed other than these forage?

[@DowdleFamilyFarms]

That will be the subject of a future video but yes you do.

[@allonesame6467]

During those dry months, I wonder if there are any indigenous wild flowers, forbes or "weeds" that could be explored as a forage crop? For instance, if dandelion grows well in hot dry marginal areas during those times, is it possible to grow a cultivar of dandelion such as "Clio Italian Dandelion"? Thanks for your thoughtful videos. I like your approach to finding what works.

[@DowdleFamilyFarms]

There are lots of them that work better than others in dry weather.

[@danielbrown8105]

Great content - love seeing this channel grow! side question - where did you buy the seed box that you use to transport the feed?

[@DowdleFamilyFarms]

It’s a hopper bottom feed bin, but I don’t remember where I got them from.

[@victorp.o.1818]

I'm just a random guy on the internet, but I think you should probably make a book about about the things you talk about

[@DowdleFamilyFarms]

There are other people who are better equipped!

[@MistressOP]

whey is so underated.

[@DowdleFamilyFarms]

Yes it is.

[@DanO-yq9jr]

How do you mix the varieties of the seeds? Do you buy the seed premixed?

[@kencornelius9584]

Most feed stores (mills) and co-ops will mix it for you to your specific needs.

[@DowdleFamilyFarms]

I usually mix them myself at the rates I want. Its some work, but a large bin and a shovel make it easier.

[@ocimak]

Can we see a mix happen? To see the ratios

[@DowdleFamilyFarms]

Next time I mix sure.

[@chrissummitt3129]

What drill are you using for the cover crop seed mixes?

[@DowdleFamilyFarms]

Historically, I have not had a drill, just broadcasting with different methods.

[@Mustard_Mann]

Have you tried sunchokes for the pigs?

[@DowdleFamilyFarms]

I have not.

[@jedadruled984]

1000 $, dis is amazig.

[@DowdleFamilyFarms]

indeed

[@diamondbackecological]

I've been watching your videos. Your making the mistake of separating your Pasture and forest parcels. What you need is to thin your woodland drastically into a silvo Pasture and start planting mast and coppoce fodder trees in your pastures. Secondly explore multi species synergies by "pasturing" them together. If you get it right, then focus on establishing perennial biomass and get away from tillage and annual forage.

[@DowdleFamilyFarms]

Forests and pastures are not always separated. The system you are describing can work with moderate success, though not to the degree that you might think. Immediately Transforming 100 acres of woods into Silvo pasture is incredibly laborious and expensive. Pigs do not work well with cattle in perennial pastures or silvo pastures. Their diets are much different, fencing, and how pigs forage is very different. The only people I know that do this ring the hogs’ noses, a practice that I have no desire to do. There’s a lot more to mention but the short of it is this. The system you describe can work well, but in our context it is way more trouble. The cover crops we plant work really well, have shown promising results, and don’t take hundreds of thousands of dollars to implement and they drastically improve the soil on our farm. This is the least intensive, but regenerative way that I have found.