The biggest expense in pig farming is feed. It accounts for 60–70% of your total cost. For backyard farmers buying commercial feeds by the sack at P28–38/kg, this can eat up any profit before you even reach market weight.
The good news: a home-mixed ration using locally available ingredients costs roughly 40–50% less than full commercial feeds, and Philippine research from UPLB shows it produces acceptable growth rates for backyard operations.
"Lisod gyud magpadako ug baboy kung sayop ang pakan-on." (It is difficult to raise pigs if the feed is wrong.)
The key is getting the protein and energy balance right. Here is how.
A Simple Backyard Feed Formula
This formula works for grower pigs (20–60 kg) in Philippine backyard conditions. It uses ingredients available in most town markets and agricultural supply stores:
| Ingredient | Proportion | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Rice bran (D1/darak) | 40% | Energy base, widely available |
| Cracked corn (mais) | 25% | Main energy source |
| Copra meal | 15% | Protein supplement |
| Fish meal (local) | 5% | High-quality protein, amino acids |
| Greens (camote tops, kangkong) | 10% | Vitamins, minerals, fiber |
| Commercial hog concentrate | 5% | Vitamins, minerals, amino acids your mix is missing |
Approximate protein content: 14–15% crude protein, appropriate for growers.
Formulas by Growth Stage
The grower formula above is your workhorse. But pigs at different stages need different protein levels. Here are adjusted formulas:
Starter (weaned to 20 kg, 18–20% CP)
For just-weaned piglets, honestly, buy commercial starter feed (B-MEG Starter, Vitarich, or similar at P33–40/kg) for the first 2–4 weeks. Piglets eat so little at this stage, maybe 0.5–1.0 kg/day, that the cost difference is small and the risk of a bad home mix causing diarrhea is not worth it. Transition to your home mix once they hit 15–20 kg.
If you insist on mixing your own starter, increase fish meal to 10%, add soybean meal at 10%, reduce rice bran to 30%, and keep corn at 25%. But I would not recommend this for beginners.
Grower (20–60 kg, 14–16% CP)
Use the main formula table above. This is where home mixing saves the most money because growers eat the most feed over the longest period.
Finisher (60–100 kg, 13–14% CP)
| Ingredient | Proportion | Change from Grower |
|---|---|---|
| Rice bran (D1) | 42% | +2% |
| Cracked corn | 28% | +3% |
| Copra meal | 13% | -2% |
| Fish meal | 3% | -2% |
| Greens | 10% | Same |
| Commercial concentrate | 4% | -1% |
Less protein, more energy. The pig is building fat and final weight, not growing frame. For more on the finishing phase specifically, see our fattening guide.
What Each Ingredient Costs
Prices vary by region and season, but here are typical ranges as of 2025–2026:
| Ingredient | Price/kg | Where to Buy | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rice bran (D1/darak) | P14–20 | Local rice mill | Buy fresh, goes rancid in 2 weeks |
| Cracked corn (mais) | P20–25 | Agricultural supply, Bukidnon/Isabela traders | Farmgate is P18–23, retail is higher |
| Copra meal | P14–20 | Coconut oil mills, copra traders | Prices surged in 2025 due to tight supply |
| Fish meal (local dried) | P60–95 | Agricultural supply, fishing towns | Huge quality variation. Smell it before buying. |
| Camote tops / kangkong | Free–P5 | Your own farm, neighbors, wet market | Best free protein source in PH |
| Commercial concentrate | P40–55 | Feed store (B-MEG, Vitarich, Pilmico brands) | Small amount goes a long way |
| Molasses (optional) | P30–60 | Sugar mill areas, agricultural supply | Good palatability booster |
Blended Cost per Kg (Grower Formula)
Using midpoint prices: (40% × P17) + (25% × P22) + (15% × P17) + (5% × P78) + (10% × P2) + (5% × P48) = approximately P20–22/kg of mixed feed.
Compare that to P30–38/kg for a commercial complete feed like B-MEG Grower. That is roughly P10–16/kg savings, or P20–32 per pig per day at 2 kg daily intake.
How to Actually Mix This
You do not need a feed mill. Most backyard farmers mix by hand on a clean concrete floor or in a large basin.
Batch size: Mix 50 kg at a time. That is enough for 2–3 grower pigs for about 8–10 days. Do not mix more than you will use in 2 weeks, especially during rainy season when moisture causes mold.
Method:
- Weigh each ingredient. A P200 hanging scale from the hardware store works fine.
- Spread the rice bran as the base layer on clean concrete or a large tarp.
- Add corn, copra meal, and fish meal on top. Mix dry first, turning with a shovel until the color is uniform. Takes about 5–10 minutes.
- Chop greens finely and mix in last. Some farmers wilt the greens in the sun for a few hours first to reduce moisture.
- Add commercial concentrate and mix again.
- Store in sealed sacks or plastic drums off the ground. Label with the date.
Wet vs dry feeding: You can feed this mix dry in a trough, or add water at feeding time (roughly 1:1 ratio) to make a wet mash. Wet mash reduces dust and some pigs eat it more eagerly, but it spoils within hours in Philippine heat. Only mix wet what the pigs will finish in one meal.
Why These Ingredients Work
Rice bran (darak) is the backbone of most backyard feed systems in the Philippines. UPLB research measured it at 4,137 kcal/kg digestible energy with 87% digestibility in Philippine native pigs. D1 rice bran (first pass from the mill) has about 12–13% crude protein and is available at practically every rice mill in the country for P14–20/kg.
Warning: Rice bran goes rancid quickly in Philippine heat. Buy only what you will use within 2 weeks. Store in a cool, dry place in sealed containers. Rancid rice bran smells sour and pigs will refuse it.
Copra meal is cheap and available throughout coconut-producing regions, especially Visayas, Mindanao, and Bicol. At 20–22% crude protein, it is the most cost-effective local protein source. Soak it in water for 8–24 hours before mixing to improve digestibility. Note: copra meal prices have been volatile since 2025 due to tight global coconut oil supply, so check current local prices before budgeting.
UPLB-BIOTECH has also developed Protein-Enriched Copra Meal (PECM), which boosts copra meal protein content from 20% to 44% through microbial treatment. If PECM becomes commercially available in your area, it could replace both copra meal and some fish meal in the formula.
Fish meal is the most expensive ingredient at P60–95/kg, but you use very little (5% of the mix). It supplies lysine and methionine, the amino acids that rice bran and copra meal lack. Buy from reputable agricultural suppliers, not wet market sweepings. Quality varies hugely and bad fish meal introduces more problems than it solves.
Camote tops (sweet potato leaves) are one of the best free feed ingredients available. At 14–18% crude protein on a dry basis, they are a legitimate protein supplement. Kangkong (water spinach) is similar at 15–20% crude protein dry basis. Both grow abundantly in Visayas and Mindanao and cost nothing if you have even a small patch of land.
When Home-Mixing Does NOT Make Sense
Real talk: home-mixing is not always the better choice.
- If you have fewer than 3 pigs. The ingredient minimum order quantities (50 kg sack of rice bran, 25 kg copra meal) mean you will have leftover feed going rancid before you use it. For 1–2 pigs, commercial feeds in smaller bags are simpler and the total cost difference is small.
- If you cannot source copra meal or fish meal locally. Without a protein source, your mix is just expensive pig candy. Corn and rice bran alone will make a fat, slow-growing pig.
- If you have no storage. Home-mixed feed needs a dry, cool, pest-free storage area. If your only option is an open corner of the bahay kubo, buy commercial feeds and skip the mold risk.
- If your time is worth more elsewhere. Mixing 50 kg takes 30–45 minutes. Sourcing ingredients means trips to the rice mill, copra trader, and feed store. If you can earn more working during that time than you save on feed, buy commercial.
For everyone else, especially farmers running 5–20 heads in Visayas or Mindanao where copra meal and rice bran are cheap and abundant, home-mixing is still the most practical way to control feed costs.
Common Mistakes
- Relying only on kitchen scraps. Scraps are unpredictable in nutrition. They supplement, they do not replace, a balanced ration.
- Storing rice bran too long. After 2 weeks in Philippine heat, it degrades. Buy fresh and frequently.
- No protein source. Corn + rice bran alone gives you energy but not enough protein. Pigs grow slowly and get fat instead of muscular.
- Feeding raw cassava with skin. The skin contains cyanide compounds. Always peel and cook cassava before feeding.
- Sudden feed changes. Switching from commercial to home-mixed overnight causes diarrhea. Transition gradually over 5–7 days.
- Not cooking swill (kitchen waste). Uncooked swill containing meat scraps is a major ASF transmission risk. Always boil kitchen waste thoroughly before feeding.
How Much Does It Cost?
The blended cost and savings math is covered in the ingredient cost table above. But the bottom line: for a single grower pig eating about 2 kg of feed per day, home-mixing saves roughly ₱20–32 per day. Over a 3-month grow-out period, that is ₱1,800–2,880 per pig. On a 10-head batch, you are looking at ₱18,000–28,800 in total savings. That can be the difference between profit and breakeven.
Use the Feed Cost Calculator to estimate your specific costs based on local prices, or try the Quick Feed Estimate tool for a fast calculation of how much feed your pigs need per day.
Free Tool
Feed Cost Calculator
Plug in your local rice bran, copra meal, and corn prices to see exactly what this home-mix formula costs per kg of pig gain in your area.
Bisaya / Cebuano
Para sa mga mag-uuma
Ang pinakabarato nga paagi sa pag-mix og feed para sa baboy:
- 40% darak (rice bran D1), base sa feed
- 25% mais (cracked corn), para sa enerhiya
- 15% copra meal, para sa protina
- 5% fish meal, para sa amino acids
- 10% dahon sa kamote o kangkong, libre nga protina ug bitamina
- 5% commercial concentrate, para sa bitamina ug mineral
Kini nga mix mga 40–50% mas barato kaysa full commercial feed. Pero kinahanglan gyud nga sakto ang mixture. Kung kulang og protina, hinay kaayo motubo ang baboy.
Learn More
- Cheapest way to feed pigs in the Philippines (more budget-saving strategies beyond home mixing)
- Complete guide to pig feed formulation in the Philippines (detailed formulas by growth stage)
- Philippine feed economics: what really drives costs (understanding feed price trends)
- Alternative feeding systems (fermented feeds, PECM, and other options)
- Feed Cost Calculator (estimate your costs)
- Pig feed consumption chart (daily intake from weaner to market weight)
Sources: UPLB digestible energy study on corn, rice bran, and copra meal in Philippine native pigs, UPLB-BIOTECH PECM development, pig333 copra meal nutritional profile, FAO Farmer's Handbook on Pig Production, DOST-PCAARRD feed security for livestock, ingredient prices sourced from PSA commodity price reports and IndexMundi commodity data (accessed March 2026).
