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Sam Malcolm & Family:Feed - Showpigs - Breeding Stock
Cell:260-410-2305E-mail:sjm_hogs@hotmail.com
Web:www.sammalcolmandfamily.com

Feeding Paylean and Holding Weight

As we approach the county fair dates, a couple of topics usually get discussed ...feeding Paylean and holding weight.

Paylean is a great tool for enhancing the muscle volume and expressiveness of your pig. The whole key to using Paylean is to know if it is needed, how much of it is needed, and how long you need to feed it.

Holding a pig's weight, or closely monitoring the weight gain of a pig is often considered when trying to dial in the pig at just the right weight and just the right look. Nobody likes to "hold" an animal, but just like athletes in training, sometimes pigs have to watch what they eat. To get a good handle on how many pounds per day it is gaining, youshould weigh them a couple days a week, or weekly at a minimum.

I will cover a couple different scenarios of using Paylean and monitoring weight gain. Assume each case is 35 to 40 days from the fair.

Case 1:Pig weighs 190 pounds, is structurally correct and sound, but lacks muscle volume and shape-Start this pig on Paylean at 35 days from the fair at around 3 grams/ton. After a week, increase to 6 grams/ton. After another week, evaluate your pig's muscle and decide if you will stay at 6 grams/ton or move to 9 grams/ton. If you bump it up to 9 grams, and you feel the pig is getting too much muscle or too tight in its movement, back it off.

In this case, I would use the Prime Time Plus pellets with the Paylean already in the feed. Mix regular Prime Time feed with the Prime Time Plus to get the desired level of Paylean. You might highly consider using a top-dress like VitaLean to provide extra goodies for the pig as it increases its muscle mass.

Case 2:Pig weighs 235 pounds, you want to hold the gain to 1 pound/day, but the pig needs to maintain its volume of muscle and add shape-First, let me applaud you for feeding this pig well, even though you are now worried that he might be overweight. If you do not feed a pig hard to the 230 pound range, you will limit their skeletal growth and the pig will not have as much width as it could have had.

Assume this pig has been eating around 6 pounds of Prime Time pellets per day. You can slow this pig down by taking out 2 pounds of feed and replacing it with 1 pound of Cruise Control. After 3 days, take out 2 more pounds of Prime Time and replace it with another pound of Cruise Control. So, at this stage you are feeding 2 pounds of Prime Time and 2 pounds of Cruise Control. Also, you shouldbe adding to the mix 2 to 3 ounces of VitaLean for extra goodies while your pig is on reduced intake. Now is also the time to add in some Paylean, and 3 to 4.5 grams/ton would work great. Since you are already hand feeding, top-dressing the Paylean is probably the easiest to do. You can use Kent's Overdrive if you like pellets , or RactoLean if you want a meal source of Paylean. Whichever you use, always follow the directions on how much to add to the pig's ration. After a week or so, weigh your pig to see what it is gaining. This recipe should get the pig down to about a pound of gain per day. Every pig is different and adjustments will have to be made to obtain the look and weight you want with your animal. You may need to bump the Paylean rate to 9 grams. Remember, you have to be able to read your pig and feed it accordingly. If your pig is progressing nicely stick with the program right up to weigh in.After weigh in, slowly add back in the Prime Time to fill the pig back up for show day.

Case 3:Pig weighs 235 pounds, you want to hold the gain to 1 pound of gain, but the pig is a little overdone and needs shaped up a bit-Again, you have done a good job in getting the optimum skeletal growth from your pig. In this case we need to tone the pig. Here is where we use the Kent product called Hang Time. Hang Time is a great hold and tone feed. It is a meal form of feed that needs to be mixed with water to make a ‘gruel’ or ‘cake mix.’

Again, lets assume the pig is eating 6 pounds of Prime Time per day. First, take out 3 pounds of Prime Time and replace it with 2 pounds of Hang Time. Mix up the pellets and the meal to make the gruel and feed this for 3 days. Then, take out all the pellets and just use 4 pounds of Hang Time as the main ration. Again, this is a great time to add 2 to 3 ounces of VitaLean for extra goodies. And, throw in some Paylean top-dress at 3 to 4.5 grams/ton to help maintain the pig’s muscle shape.

This ration should slow the pig down to around 1 pound of gain per day. Remember, each pig is different and slight adjustments will need to be made to get the desired look and weight of each animal.As you monitor your pigs weight, you can add or subtract Hang Time based on the amount of gain you need. The recommended rate of feeding Hang Time is 3 to 5 pounds per day. After weigh in, I suggest keeping the pig on Hang Time, but increase the amount fed, or add back in some Prime Time to fill the pig back up.

Hopefully these scenarios will help when you adjust your feeding program as the fair approaches. Remember these key points::
Each pig is different and will require adjustments for the look and weight you desire
Always add VitaLean when reducing the intake of feed
Follow the label and feeding directions on Paylean top-dresses
program as the fair approaches. Remember these key points:

• Each pig is different and will require adjustments for the look and weight you desire
• Always add VitaLean when reducing the intake of feed
• Follow the label and feeding directions on Paylean top-dresses

De-Worming Big Pigs

As pigs approach 200 pounds, using Swine Dewormer may not be practical to use. Hense, small bags of a Safeguard pellet or meal, and Atgard packets that will de-worm four 200 pound pigs will be available. The Safeguard program is to be added to the regular feeding program for 5 to 7 days. The Atgard program can be done in a single feeding.

Kent Showfeeds-Product Spotlight

Final Drive

Kent’s First Rate Final Drive is designed to be top-dressed to your animal’s regular ration. It is used for defining and holding lean muscle tissue. It is fortified with multiple protein sources, yeast sources, amino acids, vitamins, and complex trace minerals.  Final Drive also contains Show Bloom to promote intestinal health, feed intake, healthy skin, and hair growth.

Final Drive is a great product to use the last couple weeks before the show to tone your animal. It can give your animal a leaner and harder appearance.

Omegablume

Omegablume is a 20% fat, pelleted, nutrient dense energy supplement for horses, beef cattle, dairy cattle, sheep, swine, goats, and rabbits. Omegablume is designed as a high fattop-dress that is exceptionally low in starch to reduce risk of metabolic problems.

OMEGABLUME is a great product to add to your existing ration. It will increase your fat and fiber levels and give your pig more condition and body fill. Start your pigs on this 5 to 7 weeks before your show.

Overdrive

First Rate Overdrive PL450 is a supplement for finishing pigs. It is a user-friendly product providing Paylean in the diet of market weight show pigs. This product will improve feed efficiency and increase carcass leanness in show pigs.

Overdrive contains chelated trace minerals, yeast sources, and electrolytes to aid in optimizing growth potential. It has extra ‘goodies’ to keep your pig fresh looking and full of bloom. It also contains vitamins and minerals to prevent cracked hooves and padsthat can sometimes occur when holding and toning a pig while using a Paylean additive.

Easy Cover

First Rate Easy Coveris a distinctive dry fat for top-dressing swine, beef, dairy, horse, sheep, and goat diets. It will maintain or increase body condition depending on the feeding rate because of its high fat level. This product has excellent palatability, digestibility, and handling characteristics.

Easy Cover is what I would call a quick fat. It is a great choice to use it where you need to add body condition in a short time frame.

Show Bloom

Show bloom is a unique, highly nutritional 30% protein supplement and conditioner for livestock.

It provides pure high-potency brewer's yeast in a palatable pellet form. Show bloom produces healthy and shiny hair and promotes outstanding hair growth. It also supports healthy skin and hoof condition. One thing I have noticed in feeding show bloom is the increased feed intake. It really tends to stimulate the animal’s appetite.

The Kent show feeds have show bloom already in them, but it doesn't’t hurt to add some down the stretch as you are making your final preparations for the show.

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Upcoming Show Dates

Open Pig Shows

Open Sheep Shows

Indiana has two outstanding Junior Show Organizations that provides prizes to those who join and show sheep and pigs throughout the summer. For more information, visit them on the web: Indiana Junior Club Lamb Circuit and Indiana Junior Swine Circuit

Kent Showfeeds Show Awards Program

To be eligible, an applicant must be and FFA or 4-H member. Kent feed must be the only formulated commercial feed that was fed to the winning animal and proof of purchase must be proven with invoices. Only one award per applicant will be awarded per year. Jackpot or Open Show winners are not eligible.

Be sure to ask for the application form. Applications must be mailed to Kent Feeds, Inc. in Muscatine, Iowa by November 1, 2008.

KENT FEEDS SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM

Kent Feeds, Inc. is offering a scholarship to help students pursuing a degree in agriculture during the 2008-2009 school year. Scholarships are available for Kent Feeds’ customer’s sons and daughters. The student must be a full-time junior or senior in college during the 2008-2009 school year. The finalists will be selected on the basis of the completed application form, a resume of achievements, indication of future goals, and current scholastic achievements. If necessary, the finalists will be invited to a personal interview to determine the winner.
If you are interested in obtaining an application, please let us know ASAP! The deadline for submission is July 1, 2008.