feeding milk to put on fat/weight?

[Kenz]

Okay, yall might think this is ridiculous, but here goes. I knew a guy who gave milk to his broiler chickens and they were butterballs. I've got market animals (lambs, pigs, and steers) that all need weight put on. The steers just need finish, but the lambs and pigs need all the weight they can get and I'm really pushing them.
So my questions are: would giving them milk help put on fat/weight? Would it work for all three species? If so, is goat or cow milk better (fat content)?
Any input would be appreciated!

 

[TexasBred]

Yep..they'll get fat as butterballs all right but you should be able to render out a lot of "lard" from those hogs. I personally wouldn't do it.

 

[mnmtranching]

Whole milk will fatten them up. Why? What cost is the milk?

 

[Kenz]

TB - I've got my own theory/opinion that I don't need to bore yall with or make excuses for, but I don't think extra lard is gonna hurt them at this point. So if feeding milk will put on extra lard and waste, its not gonna stop me when I consider all the factors and body type of these show pigs. But thanks for your opinion!

Mnm - I'm not sure about the cost of milk at this point, but I've got a friend with extra goat milk that I might be able to trade for. I'd rather spend spend $50 on milk than have a lamb that doesn't make weight and can't sell, putting me $300 in the hole

 

[backhoeboogie]

Don't be surprised if your pigs/shoats start nursing on cows. I've seen them nursing on a milk cow before and harassing other cows. They had been put on surplus milk. The smell of milk must attract them to the cow's udder. That milk cow would stand and let them suck her dry. It wasn't good.

 

[TexasBred]

TB - I've got my own theory/opinion that I don't need to bore yall with or make excuses for, but I don't think extra lard is gonna hurt them at this point. So if feeding milk will put on extra lard and waste, its not gonna stop me when I consider all the factors and body type of these show pigs. But thanks for your opinion!

Mnm - I'm not sure about the cost of milk at this point, but I've got a friend with extra goat milk that I might be able to trade for. I'd rather spend spend $50 on milk than have a lamb that doesn't make weight and can't sell, putting me $300 in the hole

Wasn't trying to offend you Kenz....But glad you added "Show Pigs". Yep they're worthless as well without some fat added to them. If you have any dairies around you they might have some "dump milk" they might actually give to you.

 

[I luv herfrds]

Yes it will work. Now my info is pretty darn old, 1940's, it showed feeding the 2% milk along with corn to the pigs and the growth was much better.
Now for steers and lambs I have no idea.

 

[Kenz]

BHB - that sure doesn't sound good :shock: but that won't be a problem since we don't have a milk cow lol

TB - no offense taken yeah, they are the really lean, muscle tight show pigs. i personally don't like them all that much, but you never know what kind of animal the judge prefers from one year to the next. good idea about the dairies, i'll have to check.

ILH - thanks for the info!

 

[hillsdown]

When we had the dairy our neighbors kids raised feeder pigs each year for their college fund..They always got our leftover milk if there was any from the treated cows canister. They said it added extra fat as well as something else. Anyways we bought a couple pigs from them one year and that was the tenderest juiciest mildest flavor of pork I have ever had in my life..It was delicious and everyone else that tried it thought so as well.

BTW they followed all withdrawl periods before they slaughtered the pigs even though the traces of residuals would have been minimum in the milk.

Try a local dairy and see what they do with their extra waste milk you might be able to cut them a good deal.