MOLINE- DeAnne Bloomberg, Manager of the Rock Island County Farm Bureau, joined us Wednesday, October 3, on Good Morning Quad Cities to show us what pigs eat by making a 'feed sack.'
According to Rock Island Ag in the Classroom, most pigs on farms eat grains, as opposed to human scraps, which is what a lot of people think they eat. To see how to make a pig 'feed sack,' see the instructions below:
1. Corn makes up the largest portion of a pigs diet. It is a large source of carbohydrates and gives the pig energy and helps them grow quickly. We are using ½ cup of corn pops (made from corn) as the corn in our pig feed
sack.
2. Soybean meal (ground up and cooked soybeans) is the second largest part of a pigs diet. Soybeans add a good amount of protein to a pig’s diet. We are using 1/3 cup of soy nuts (roasted/cooked soybeans) as the soybean part of our pig feed sack.
3. Pigs also need some fat in their diet and since they mainly eat grains we are using sunflower seeds for the fat portion of the diet. 1 tablespoon of sunflower seeds will go into the pig feed sack.
4. Pigs also need vitamins and minerals in their diet to make sure they stay healthy. Like you might take a vitamin, pigs need them too. They are added and mixed into the pig food. We are using a ½ tablespoon of mini M&Ms to represent the Vitamins and Minerals. Your feed sack is likely to make you thirsty. Don’t forget pigs need lots of water to stay healthy and the farmers keep their troughs full of water to keep them growing quickly and in good health.
According to the website as well, pork 'provides our body with protein that builds strong muscles and helps our bodies grow big and strong. Pork is also a great source of iron, zinc and B-vitamins.'
You also may want to watch the end of the video above as Bloomberg gave a special tribute to her father.