# Is it true that pigs can eat anything



## badgerboy

Or do they have to be old not pigglets


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## Feathers-N-Fur

They can eat anything that you can eat. BUT the higher the protein, the faster they grow, and they need some source of lysine. Lysine is in milk products, or pig feed.


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## Rogo

Is it true that pigs CAN eat anything? Yep.


Is it true that pigs SHOULD eat anything? Nope.


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## olivehill

:shocked:

The digestive system of pigs is uncannily similar to the digestive system of humans. They can and will become ill if they consume sour, rotten, contaminated or poisonous feedstuffs. 

They also, as with any living being, have unique dietary needs that must be met in order for them to grow and develop not just optimally, but even at the most basic level.

The best thing you can do for your hogs -- if you don't have wherewithal to educate yourself on the nutritional needs of swine and decide on a diet with that information in mind -- is to offer a feed or supplement to pasture specifically made for hogs by a reputable feed company with any extras as just that extras, not a main component of their diet.


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## badgerboy

is there anything i should mixs with it to boost protein


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## olivehill

What type of "medicated pellets"? 

What brand and type of feed is it? 

Chances are you're feeding a complete feed already, which would include protein. But if you tell us the brand and type I can look it up and know for sure.


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## badgerboy

Agrimaster
Pelleted 16 Swine Feed


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## olivehill

Looks like a regional store brand and, unfortunately, I couldn't find the full profile online. That said, it definitely looks like a complete feed. The 16 in the name indicates that it's likely 16% CP. Now, whether or not that protein is from acceptable sources with beneficial profiles themselves stands to be reckoned. 

All this said, I personally, am not a a fan of the one-size fits all (stages) approach. The nutritional needs of swine change depending on their stage of life, just as the nutritional needs of a child are not the same as those of an adult, and one, single feed simply cannot meet those needs from "start to finish" as the company claims.

ETA: I think I asked this on another thread of yours as well, but it got buried thereafter. If you don't mind me asking, you're just feeding up a couple hogs for the table right? Why then all the chemical input (medicated feed, wormer) and unnatural environment (you were considering concrete?) ? What are you trying to accomplish in raising these hogs, what is your main goal? Know that would really help us make the best possible recommendations for your situation.


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## badgerboy

i was told to feed this for start and when they get bigger switch feed should i add something to the feed and yes 16% proetin is whats in it


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## HeritagePigs

Food for thought.
More food for thought.


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## Lazy J

How much do the piglets weigh? If they are truly piglets, less than 40 lb, then 16% is grossly under their protein, rather Amino Acid, requirement.

In general terms the 16% ration would fit pigs weighing from 100 to 150 lb. Which would be in the .90 to 1% lysine range.

Jim


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## Spinner

I've read that you shouldn't give them any citrus, don't remember why, but we fed scraps that included orange peels, etc. and they seemed to do fine.


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## Ronney

Rogo said:


> Is it true that pigs CAN eat anything? Yep.
> 
> 
> Is it true that pigs SHOULD eat anything? Nope.


And that probably pretty well sums it up, along with the fact that if you can eat it, so can your pigs. It's how you serve it up that is important - and it should be served up in the same way as you would prepare food for yourself.

So what do I mean? Do you eat raw potato? No, you don't, and nor should your pig. Raw potato fed in any quantity is likely to kill your pig but cooked are fine. Celery and parsnip are digestible for pigs but can cause lesions on the lips and in the mouth that are similar to FMD but cooked don't have this effect. 

There are exceptions - most pigs won't eat banana skins raw but will eat them when cooked. They will eat the banana any way you want to serve it up. They won't usually eat onions raw but will if cooked. Most will eat citrus but won't eat the skins so a waste of time unless you want to skin a lot of oranges Egg shells, which would seem to be indigestible, disappear.

I don't eat bones, either fish or animal, tea bags, coffee grounds, onions skins, banana skins, citrus skins. Some of these things can be detrimental to the health of the pig and probably wouldn't do my guts a lot of good either.

If your wanting to feed waste food to your pigs, *cook* all of it but use commonsense and take out anything that is obviously going to be detrimental to the health of your pigs.

Cheers,
Ronnie


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## HeritagePigs

Good answer.


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## badgerboy

Thanks you guys once again


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## tlag1986

My daughter called home from college one day and told me "I know why you always had pigs for us for 4-H. Did you know they can digest everything except the teeth of a human". She proceeded to say "that's if you want to kill anyone, just food for thought". I was surprised with her again. Don't send a child to a criminal justice schooled unless you want schooled yourself.


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## badgerboy

WOW thats crazy


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## PotBellyPigs

Well, I don't eat watermelon rind, either, yet my pigs love it.
I also don't eat uncooked sweet corn, yet my pigs love it.
In fact, they eat the whole cob.
I don't eat snakes slithering in the weeds, yet a pig will kill and eat it......
A chicken that walks in the pig pen could become a snack to a hungry hog, feathers and all.
Pigs are NOT like people at all(at least Americans).


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## HeritagePigs

"(at least Americans)"

Who were you referring to? Americans can be very "piggy".


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## olivehill

PotBellyPigs said:


> Well, I don't eat watermelon rind, either, yet my pigs love it.
> I also don't eat uncooked sweet corn, yet my pigs love it.
> In fact, they eat the whole cob.
> I don't eat snakes slithering in the weeds, yet a pig will kill and eat it......
> A chicken that walks in the pig pen could become a snack to a hungry hog, feathers and all.
> Pigs are NOT like people at all(at least Americans).


All of your examples are based in preference not biology.


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## Ronney

olivehill said:


> All of your examples are based in preference not biology.


Exactly. I have only one pig that will eat watermelon rind raw or cooked. The others won't touch it anyway it's served up. They will eat sweetcorn anyway at all and devour the cob as well. I personally will pick the uncooked corn off a cob and nibble on it - it's sweet and juicy. I believe snake can be good eating -we don't have them here so I'm not likely to find out.

Cheers,
Ronnie


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## springvalley

I have fed thousands of pigs, mostly on concrete, and mostly on ground feed. But now we feed a few to sell to our customers, and they eat mostly milk, feed bread, veggie`s, a some forage. I still feed them on concrete, as I don`t have the fence for pasture feeding. I don`t feed meat, because I don`t want to, not because they can`t eat it. I do also feed sour milk, some months old, and have never had a pig get sick from it. Pigs are interesting animals, and can eat alot of different things, should they? I`m not sure they should just because they can, but that is personal choice. I don`t feed medicated feed either, young pigs this time of year, kept dry and clean should not need medicated feed. Alot of people over medicate animals because someone at the feed store told them to feed it. Trust me the people at the feed store want to sell feed, they only know what they know, mostly not much. Most only know what they are told, and most of that is from the book not from personal experiance. Anyway, my opinion for what it`s worth. >Thanks Marc


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## PotBellyPigs

LOL, Hertitage Pigs, you're right, there are a lot of over weight Americans now!
However, Pigs do consume items that I myself do not, and seem to relish it.
My pigs will also eat orchard grass and weeds of any kind(so it seems)......
Maybe since they are outside on pasture, this is so??


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## HeritagePigs

All pigs love grass. You just have to give them the chance. I've tried it, wasn't for me


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