AboutHelen Morrison Expertise Pot-bellied or other miniature pet pig care, including diet, housing, training, health care. Can provide information about zoning, adoption, supplies, and organizations. Questions about any kind of pet swine are welcome!
Experience Fifteen years experience owning, raising, and caring for small pet swine, including "Vietnamese" pot-bellied pigs.
Organizations Pigs of Great Fortune
Publications Animals Exotic and Small
I am the Swine Contributing Editor
Expert: Helen Morrison Date: 5/27/2008 Subject: Pot Bellied Pig Diet
Question I recently rescued a pot belly from an auction but I have some questions
about diet; I have fed commerical hogs but their diet is not the same as a pot
bellys.
Currently, my little pot belly is getting a Show Feed for show hogs, the maker
is Big Gain.
I am wondering if I should keep feeding that plain, or mix in some veggies, or
keep feeding and mix in some corn and/or oats with the Show Pig feed?
I would like to keep the Show Pig feed as a base then add in extras. What do
you think about the Show Feed mixed with oats? Or Show Feed mixed with
oats and veggies.
Can you help?
Thanks,
Kyle
Answer Commercial pot-bellied pig food manufacturers say that pellets are the only food a pot-bellied pig needs, but most owners and veterinarians believe that these pigs do much better on a balanced diet including veggies, fruits and grazing opportunities. Pigs living naturally in the wild do not eat commercial pellets. They eat leaves, roots, grasses, etc. All high in fiber, low in fat and protein. So definately include fresh or frozen veggies in your piggies diet. Many people give their pigs the marked down "day old" veggies, other people buy the "institutional" sized bags of frozen veggies.
The name printed on a feed bag is not as important as the contents inside. All foods must have an ordered ingredient list and nutritional information.
The biggest issue with feeding pot-bellies foods made for other livestock is antibiotics. While these might be necessary for farm hogs packed in factory farm conditions, pot-bellied pigs do not need this. Scientists have proven that routine use of antibiotics does not kill all the bad germs, and the germs that live quickly become antibiotic resistant, making the antibiotic useless. So it's best to choose a feed without any medical supplements.
Ideally, pot-bellied pig food is fairly low in protein, 12% to 14%, and as low fat as possible.
The ingredients should be recognizable and identifiable, particularly the first few ingredients because they are listed in descending order. Whatever the food has most of is the first on the list. Good feeds list things like oats, wheat, alfalfa. Avoid feeds that list things like "mixed grain" (whatever is left at the bottom of silos and bins or swept up off the floor), "hulls" or "husks" (the outer shell of wheat, leftover after the nutritional core has been removed for use in people food or better quality animal feeds), or "animal products" (leftover animal parts) at the top of the list.
So, if your feed is antibiotic free, low in protein and fat, and is made from wholesome ingredients, then it's fine to feed to your pot-bellied pig. Myself and several rescues with large herds of pot-bellied pigs use "complete" horse feed (NOT "sweet" horse feeds - those have molasses). Mine have eaten horse feed all their lives and do very well on it. I like it because there are no "animal products" or antibiotics in it, and the first three ingredients are alfalfa, oats, and rye wheat.
