# Squash



## barrybro (Apr 2, 2008)

I have two Tamworth feeder pigs that are currently about 70lbs. I have a lot of acorn squash left from the fall. The pigs go crazy for the seeds and the "guts" of the squash but they don't eat the whole thing. My wife runs a pumpkin patch and I was hoping that the squash and pumpkins could be a food source, but they don't seem to be eating enough of it to justify planting extra for them. Will they eat all of the squash when they are bigger, or if I withhold all other feed (I am also feeding them traditional pig ration) will they eventually eat the whole squash.

Barry


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## Gabriel (Dec 2, 2008)

Acorn squash has a pretty hard skin, doesn't it? They have eaten all of the butternut that I gave them, and usually all of the pumpkins. They'd sometimes skip the pumpkin skin unless they were short on other feed.


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## oink (Dec 28, 2010)

My experience, mostly with pumpkins and zuccini, has been they don't seem to appreciate the toughness of the exterior of squash. I've taken to grinding them in the 
crusher/top end of my cider press and they slurp it right up. I do the same with apples. It takes time but squash are easy to grow/gleen around here. The problem with making them hungry enough to eat whole raw squash is they may not be getting enough protein. I'm starting into my 3rd year/4th cycle of raising freezer hogs and find they really have some preferences in their diets which I tend to cater to as a happy hog sizes more quickly and is easier to get along with.

I just stumbled upon the board this week and want to say hi and thanks for all of the info/experiences that are shared here...Happy New Year to All....Matt


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## barrybro (Apr 2, 2008)

Gabriel said:


> Acorn squash has a pretty hard skin, doesn't it? They have eaten all of the butternut that I gave them, and usually all of the pumpkins. They'd sometimes skip the pumpkin skin unless they were short on other feed.


Yes the acorn has a fairly tough skin. I have some butternut as well and they won't even look at it. The acorn they go crazy for but I have to break it open so they can eat the seeds and guts and the leave the remainder of the flesh alone.

Barry


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## FrankRichards (Dec 9, 2004)

My Tams think squash is great, including butternut BTW. However the piglets can't really crack them open until they're over 100 lbs or so. Either I need to crack them, or one of their parents will do it for them. Once open however I have no problem making all the squash part of a balanced piggy diet. 

If I try to make anything but bread, pellets or milk more than about 20% of their diet they get tired of it in a few days and let me know it. I figure they eat enough like people that they actually need variety just like we do to get a good diet.


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## monkeybackfarm (Apr 22, 2010)

For the acorn squash the skins are pretty tough and the pigs will not eat it..... Even my hogs will just brake them open and eat the insides leaving the shell......Try boiling them first and feed as slop in their trough, they will eat the whole thing that way..


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## roneil76 (Dec 11, 2006)

monkeybackfarm said:


> For the acorn squash the skins are pretty tough and the pigs will not eat it..... Even my hogs will just brake them open and eat the insides leaving the shell......Try boiling them first and feed as slop in their trough, they will eat the whole thing that way..


Same findings here..... once cooked all is gone! Quickly even


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## shelfer (Jun 18, 2009)

I have the same problem so I cook it all on the wood stove. They waste about 75% if I do not cook it. They will fight with each other to get to the slop. It is so good I have to push the dogs away when I set the pan down to close the house door.


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## springvalley (Jun 23, 2009)

And I don`t know about the squash seeds, but the pumpkin seeds are also a natural wormer for the pigs. Very, good for them, can`t go wrong feeding this kind of food stuffs.> Marc


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## rmrc (Aug 20, 2009)

My pigs will eat any squash but they seem to prefer them broken open. You might try "smashing pumpkins".....(sorry) 
Really, bust 'em open and I think they'll eat the whole thing.


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## rcornish (Apr 4, 2005)

Love reading this kind of experience. Really makes me miss when I had the pigs on the farm. I used to plant some extra squash and such right by the pig runs so I could easily toss in things for them to have a good snack.


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## highlands (Jul 18, 2004)

Not sure where you are but nature can help. After a freeze thaw cycle the flesh softens and becomes easier to eat. Breaking the squash and pumpkins open also helps. We feed a lot to our pigs in the fall and early winter. These are some of the things that are easy for us to grow.

Cheers

-Walter
Sugar Mountain Farm
Pastured Pigs, Sheep & Kids
in the mountains of Vermont
Read about our on-farm butcher shop project:
http://SugarMtnFarm.com/butchershop
http://SugarMtnFarm.com/csa


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## Laura Workman (May 10, 2002)

I second what Walter says. I pick up pumpkins on November 1. At first, the pigs aren't very excited about them. They like the guts and seeds, but not so much the flesh. Once we have a good freeze, though, and the pumpkins get all squishy, the pigs go nuts for them.


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## linn (Jul 19, 2005)

Grinding them sounds like a good idea and so does cooking them. Either way the squash would become more palatable for the pigs.


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## RW kansas hogs (Nov 19, 2010)

I get all types of squash from a tree hugger store in town and my pigs go nuts for it, It takes them a couple of days to eat it all but they do. The funny part is when i would get a few pumpkins with the squash, I break them both open and its funny watching them making up there mind on which one to eat first


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## Apryl in ND (Jan 31, 2010)

I feed zucchini, squash and pumpkins to my chickens and it's really good therapy for me to take out any anger I might be harboring by beating the squash to death with a metal pipe.


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## laughaha (Mar 4, 2008)

Apryl- you don't have to do anything to a pumpkin or squash if it's for chickens, they have NOOOOOO problem eating the entire pumpkin (and some that they have gotten were hubbardish mixes). Within an hour a few chickens can have a respectable jack o lantern and a couple hours later it's gone. I give it to them all the time to give them something to do in the winter. 

Just thought ya'd like ta know in case you weren't angry and didn't need to vent.....


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## Saffy (May 18, 2007)

My piggies love squash. I get old produce from a store. They love bananas, melons best. Then the squashes, they don't seem to care for onions or peppers. They are always the last to be eaten.


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## njenner (Jul 15, 2013)

my guinea hog/berks fight over butternut squash and they eat the whole thing. They are out on pasture 24/7 plus get other vegetable including citrus but no grain. I do find they get into the butternut easier if I break them open first; but they will eat that before the zucchini. In a couple of months I will have acorns and oxoacan green dent corn to finish them off.


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## bmurphy96 (Nov 23, 2013)

I think it's mostly a size thing. I have a picture from early November of last year with my sow who was about 375 pds at the time with her head inside a 20 or 25 pound pumpkin chomping away. I have never seen them turn down any squash. Chomp them down like candy.

keith


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## WildRoots (Nov 24, 2013)

My pigs love squash and pumpkins. The beef cows love pumpkins too. November 1st is one of my favorite days.
View attachment 31934
View attachment 31935



Wild Roots Farms Pompey, NY.


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## TinFoil (Feb 18, 2014)

Mine love squash, and get plenty of it. I also now have squash plants coming up in the pasture.


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