Pigs are right at 15 weeks old. Feeding Lindner's 612 at the moment. What are the OB's recommendations for feed and "finishing" feeds as it gets closer to show time.

I always stuck with Purina products, but that was a looong time ago. I showed barrows, and pretty much kept them on pig starter the entire time.

Yeah boozer, it's WAY different now. Not enough room here to discuss all the different feeds and additives possible. Feeding for a January show? We've fed linders in past but back on moormans, but a lot of folks in the linders camp could help you out a little more. It really depends what the pig/pigs need that determines what direction you go.

We feed Sunglo IMO its the best. Second would be Lyssy and Eckel.

What ever you use for show feeds I repeat do not consume the show pig when done!!!!!!

When is your show? How much do they weight? How to they look ( muscled up or soft)?
I like having 611 and 698 on hand. That way you can tailor your ratio from there all the way down to 14% if you need it. Also 632 and 685 are an easy combo as well and is easier to manage.
As far as supplements. I like purinas sups. Heavy weight for fat ( moorfat works well also) I would not use Lindnera full figure it is not as palatable and I have seen pigs just not eat cuz it's in the feed. I also like to start on depth charge to ad that extra rib shape if needed as well purina cam out with ultra fill which is suppost help add the full in the flank and belly. When it comes to Paylean every pig is different start small in the last 45 days and pull off if they start getting to stiff. System mechanics by Lindners is suppost to be great but I have not fed enough of it to have an opinion. But I have been told by quite a few people it works well. It is high but one little bucket can feed 1-2 pigs for the year.
Also I like feeding a 1/2 cup of oats with every feeding.
I assume you have scales? It is important in hogs to weigh every week so you know what rate you are growing at and if you need to increase or cut back. Power fill and depth charge work great as a hold feed )

Hazelnuts

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What ever you use for show feeds I repeat do not consume the show pig when done!!!!!!

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You have to say something first for you to repeat it. HTH

Stick with Lindners. Have raised multiple major show class winners on their feed with other supplements. MoorFat, oat groats, and other things. Just have to see what your pig needs and adjust from there.

Whatever you do, at that age you need to get them off that 612 yesterday.

Already some good advice on this thread. Echo that you are overdue to swap off the starter mix, there is too much fat and protein in that mix for a pig that should be in the 100 lb range. There is a some good, free information about general swine nutrition requirements out there by groups like the US Pork Center. This can be a starting point that you should then tweak as already suggested based on actual performance.

Whatever you do, please choose a reputable product that contains standard ingredients (i.e. grain based feed). I have personally had an experience like tmaggie where meat from a show pig tasted like fish, probably because someone decided it would be a good idea to supplement with fish meal. I'm sure that this did wonderful things for them in the growing process, but porkchops shouldn't taste like the catch of the day. In the end, you're raising an animal that will almost assuredly be slaughtered and end up on someone's dinner table. Heck, the person that buys it at auction if you win might just take your pig home and make bacon out of him. Whoever eats that animal should not be able to tell it was a show pig.

On a side note. Please also be aware that some premixed feeds contain medication, especially starter mixes. In fact all Linder's starter and grow/finish line options contain some form of antibiotic (Denegard/CTC, Tylan, and Lincomix are all listed ingredients on the Linders' website). Each one of these drugs has a documented minimum withdrawl period for the animal before it is safe for human consumption. None of the above antibiotics have long withdrawl periods (worst is 6 days), but these products should still be used with care and caution. It is far from ideal to let an animal leave your care that is still withdrawing antibiotics and may even cross into the unsafe/questionable legality range. I only mention this because I witnessed first hand more than one bag of medicated starter feed in the show barn at different shows that contained an antibiotic with a 180 day withdrawl period. While that was 15 years ago, and I'm sure the show pig circuit is still just as competitive as it was back then, no win is worth cutting corners like that.

Did not mean to be rude on show pigs or feeds and there taste results. If you offer to feed out that hog 30 days can do wonders on cracked corn.

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Did not mean to be rude on show pigs or feeds and there taste results. If you offer to feed out that hog 30 days can do wonders on cracked corn.

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This is what we used to do. Cracked corn for a few weeks then up to the school ag class for slaugher. Never had any problems with the meat.

I usually take one if my brother's kids show hogs that doesn't place at a major and I will bring it home and feed it cooked crimped corn & cooked steam rolled barley. I have 3 great big pressure cookers that we use to cook corn and barely for our show Cattle.

This finishes a hog out nicley and gets all that show stuff out of their system. I don't like lean ass paylean feed hogs for the dinner plate.

Sell pigs
Put show cattle on feed
???????
The opposite of profit

Tried a few different feeds growing up. I like Sunglo and Moorman's the best. We would add fish mill and some other additives. Cant remember all of them as it's been several years.

Mind explaining why?

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Did not mean to be rude on show pigs or feeds and there taste results. If you offer to feed out that hog 30 days can do wonders on cracked corn.

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This is what we used to do. Cracked corn for a few weeks then up to the school ag class for slaugher. Never had any problems with the meat.

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This. Most show feeds have some sort of antibiotic or other supplements in them that need a withdrawal period. The last ones we fed out for our Mid September fair were taken off show feed after the premium sale and put on cracked corn for 30-45 days. I think the guy that bought them is taking them in to get processed next week.

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Sell pigs
Put show cattle on feed
???????
The opposite of profit

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No joke.

Well, I have only three heifers on full feed right now, plus two retired ones that get a scoop a night just because they won't eat cubes. At least we sold one bull calf in August so I have the the first positive cash flow coming in. One of the retired heifers is going to calve in December, another in April, and the oldest one on feed in June.

My kids have 4 show steers and 2 show heifers. Two of the steers and 1 heifer I raised via embryo's.

Come from a family that has raised and shown show Cattle 40 plus years. Very successful winning our country but also placing show cattle at the major shows like Ft. Worth, Dallas, San Antonio, Houston, Austin, San Angelo.

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My kids have 4 show steers and 2 show heifers. Two of the steers and 1 heifer I raised via embryo's.

Come from a family that has raised and shown show Cattle 40 plus years. Very successful winning our country but also placing show cattle at the major shows like Ft. Worth, Dallas, San Antonio, Houston, Austin, San Angelo.

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We won't be buying any heifers for a while. Going the bred and owned route and may do some embryo work with recips in the future.. We've done well at smaller shows and placing at some of the majors.

I agree. Over the last 10 years I've really built up our cattle genetics and started flushing and putting together more embryo's. Will still do so straight AI on my good first time heifers and young cows. I do have some close friends who sell show cattle for a living and they work with me on buying cattle but also we will trade from each others herds.

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I agree. Over the last 10 years I've really built up our cattle genetics and started flushing and putting together more embryo's. Will still do so straight AI on my good first time heifers and young cows. I do have some close friends who sell show cattle for a living and they work with me on buying cattle but also we will trade from each others herds.

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We were rocking along good with our Beefmasters until my daughter won a scramble certificate at Houston in the judging contest last spring. She had to have a Gert like her momma did when she won her certificate. I had planned on keeping a young bull in a year or two but now will have to go strictly AI and ET.

Nice if you ever get any Beefmaster bull calves that might have show potential, give me a shout. I bought 2 three year old Gert cows hoping to get American show steers going forward. I AI'd one to Walks Alone and the other to Solid Gold.

I bought a Gert Steer from one of friends this year for Houston, he's a good one and we hope to win class 2 Gerts at Houston.

Can do

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I usually take one if my brother's kids show hogs that doesn't place at a major and I will bring it home and feed it cooked crimped corn & cooked steam rolled barley. I have 3 great big pressure cookers that we use to cook corn and barely for our show Cattle.

This finishes a hog out nicley and gets all that show stuff out of their system. I don't like lean ass paylean feed hogs for the dinner plate.

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How did you obtain a pig from a major? Those are all terminal shows. No pig goes home.

Was a Gilt. Also he usually has a few that dont go to majors after our country show in January.

Just call this guy- Mike Schneider Bohemian farms@yahoo.com Cell - 254-721-4162

He's been raising show pigs for over twenty years, and will help you out even if you didn't purchase your animals from him. He loves to talk pigs and is willing to do anything to help a student have a good experience with their animal project.

Full disclosure- He is my father, but that has nothing to do with why I'm recommending him to you.

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Was a Gilt

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Forgot about breeding class.

He also has a few barrows that he might not take to a major after our county show in January. He does both Gilts in the breeding show but also his kids show barrows at county and major shows.