Hog feed...requesting info

As my colonies of rats and mice continue to grow, I have began looking for a cheaper food that still does the job. I've found bits and pieces of random info about using hog feed, but have never found a thread dedicated to it. Who uses it, and what seems to be the results you are having? Also, if you have any good info. on why you should or shouldn't use it, please post it for discussion. I just can't bring myself to believe that breeders such as the ".coms" are spending big $ on lab blocks when they sell their rodents for so cheap.

If you buy in volume, you don’t need to pay the big bucks. If there are other breeders in your area that will share an order with you, you may be able to buy bulk. Our local feed association (Intermountain Farmers Association) will make the lab blocks for me to my specifications. They copy the Harlan Teklad blocks to the letter for me. I pay $6.50 per 50-pound bag. The catch is I have to buy 3000 pounds at a time.

On the Hog feed, I know Janine (Diamond Lil) uses it with success. You want a crude analysis that is close to 16% protein, 7% fat, and 10% fiber. You want to make sure there are not a lot of additives like antibiotics and steroids. I think you probably would be fine to use it.

Check for feed stores in your area, and find ones that carry the Mazuri line of products. They make a good rat food, and i have been able to find it for 17 dollars for 50 pounds.
Most places will special order that for you if they carry the Mazuri (made by purina) products.

Good luck!

Mazurai in my area is 23 dollars a bag. Little less if you buy in bulk. I use southern state hog Cube. And have for a few years no real issues.

Yep, I feed sow pellets to my mice, with great success. I still give treats, especially dried fruit and peanuts still in their shells.

Oh, the sow pellets are £5 ($7.50) for a huge bag (no weight on it), they come from a local feed company and have no hormones or antibiotics in them.

This is what i have been using for soemtime it seems to work well. I feed it to my Asf and rats. And I always have extra babies. I do supplement with seeds every other day. But I thinkt hey would be fine without that.

I tried a range cube a few months ago and my ASF production crashed. I'm pretty limited in my area on what I can get (Tractor Supply is pretty much it) unless I travel. Are there any other brands anyone has had success with? The stuff I tried was Producers Pride Range Cubes.

One thing I noticed on the Hog Feed Carpal Daddy is using is that it is very low in fat. 3%. That would have a big impact on the quality of the mother’s milk. I wonder if you supplemented with black oil sunflower seeds or some other high fat grain if that would help.

I also noticed that. I give them a seed mixture. And also alot of table scraps. But for 11.00 dollars for 50 pounds I figure I am still doing okay compared to Mazurai at 23 locally . Todd