Proper Diet for Mini Pigs
The proper care and feeding of your mini pig is absolutely crucial to their overall health, well being, and growth/size. As in human beings, a proper balanced and formulated diet will result in proper body structure, health, and happiness of your mini pig. As stated in the research article below by FAREC.org, “The most common nutritional disease in potbellied pigs is obesity.” The same goes for mini pigs, most likely due to their overwhelming demands and passion for food that owners cannot resist. A pig’s growth can be stunted at a young age due to not getting enough proper nutrition, enzymes, and nutrients. On the contrary, pigs can easily be overfed and can cause a pig to grow larger than it should be. Overfeeding your mini pig is a dangerous practice and seen more often than malnutrition or starvation. You do not see obese pigs in the wild, in a few words, pigs are NOT supposed to be fat or obese. Mini pigs should be eating a mini pig pellet specifically made for mini pigs as a staple, and not standard hog/swine pellet, dog food, or an unhealthy diet not conducive to overall health and weight. Overfeeding your mini pig will lead to severe disabling diseases and physical problems, such as coronary artery disease, premature arthritis and joint disease, and diabetes to name a few. Obese mini pigs can have their eyesight and hearing compromised as well due to fat deposits as well as immobility. The obese pig is more prone to heat stress and can become increasingly uncomfortable. It is harder for your veterinarian to make an appropriate diagnosis if you pig is overweight. The pigs vital signs can be distorted, collection of blood and urine can be extremely difficult. Should your pig become ill and need surgery, ultra sound, radiographic examination are hindered, anesthesia is a high risk and the obese pig is at a much higher risk for post surgical complications. A regimented routine and strict diet, feeding twice daily morning and night, and only using snacks for training purposes can also result in a less food crazed pig with less demands. Spoiling your mini pig with food can result in a relentlessly seemingly starving pig and can promote obesity and demands for more. As well, an underfed pig or a pig not fed a proper diet, for example cracked corn, only grazing on grass, hay pellet, or the like, can result in a piglets growth being stunted. Owners should be aware of how their mini pig breeders are feeding and caring for their pigs for more accurate sizes of their adults and projection of piglets’ eventual size and overall health. You should never be able to see your pig’s ribs or spine sticking out, but should be able to feel their hip bones. Veterinarians, swine researchers, and scientists hired by companies like Mazuri and Purina all agree that a proper diet for mini pigs is 2% of their body weight on average, some resources even recommend as low as 1% of a mini pigs body weight, and up to 3% for pregnant or lactating sows. Mini pig pellet is an overall balanced diet to fulfill your mini pig’s daily health requirements. Pigs do best on a vegan diet and need a diet high in fiber, thus their pellet, grass, and vegetables. Small amounts of vegetables and fruits can be used as a source of training and positive reinforcement, as well as grazing on grass, but need to be included in the daily feeding ratio. Keep pigs away from fat promoting diets like carbohydrates, meats, sugars, and fatty foods. At times owners can use sight and disposition to judge adding or taking away feed. Charts and formulas are a standard basis, but if your pig gets no exercise for example and seems to be growing excessive fat jowls and/or rolls over their legs; or on the contrary your pig looks too thin and they appear emaciated or gaunt, then you may need to add or remove food as needed. Metabolism and lifestyle play a part of mini pig’s weight, just as in humans. Below are feeding charts and information on feeding put out by the leaders of the mini pig feed industry and other research put out by reputable sources.
Mazuri and Manna Pro Brand Mini Pig Active Adult Feeding recommendation
| Pig Weight | 1% of Body Weight | 2% of Body Weight |
| Pounds | Tbsp./Cups | Tbsp./Cups |
| 2 | 1 Tbsp. | 1 2/3 Tbsp. |
| 5 | 2 Tbsp. | 4 Tbsp. |
| 10 | ¼ Cup | ½ Cup |
| 20 | ½ Cup | 1 Cup |
| 30 | ¾ Cup | 1 2/3 Cup |
| 40 | 1 Cup | 2 ¼ Cup |
| 50 | 1 1/3 Cup | 2 2/3 Cup |
| 60 | 1 2/3 Cup | 3 ¼ Cup |
| 70 | 2 Cups | 3 ¾ Cup |
| 80 | 2 ¼ Cup | 4 ¼ Cup |
| 90 | 2 1/3 Cup | 4 ¾ Cup |
| 100 | 2 2/3 Cup | 5 1/3 Cup |
Mazuri and Manna Pro Brand Mini Pig Active Adult (1).docx
- an_1999.pd
- http://www.farec.org/documents/VCNA_Exotics+Vol2_Num1_J
- http://purinamills.com/pig-food/
- http://swine.purinamills.com/stellent/groups/public/documents/web_content/ecmd0008301.pdf
- http://www.mazuri.com/product_pdfs/5Z91.pdf
- http://www.hilltopanimalhospital.com/potbelliedpigs.ht
- http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1600-0773.1997.tb01981.x/pdf
FORMULA TO CALCULATE PIGS DIET AMOUNT BASED ON 2% BODY WEIGHT Feeding calculation based upon weight (Be sure when using calculator, that you clear it between each calculation) 1: Find amount of pigs weight multiplied by 2% (Mini Pigs should be fed 2% of his/her body weight in measured cups, per day) Pigs weight x 2% = _________ 2: Multiply the 2% amount from step one, then multiply that amount by 16. ( 16 is the number of oz. per pound of pigs weight ) 2% of pigs weight x 16 (OZ) = __________ 3: Then multiply that figure by .125 which will give you the cups translation for measurement. ( .125 is the cup amount per oz. of pigs 2% weight equation ) Oz. amount x .125 = _________ Here is a example of a 8 lb piggy: Step 1 – 8 x 2% = 0.16 lb Step 2 – 0.16 x 16 = 2.56 oz Step 3 – 2.56 x .125 = 0.32 cups (The amount to feed you 8 lb piggy per day )
Toxic Food and Plants Cathy Zolicani, DMV
Toxic Foods List Salt http://www.thepigsite.com/pighealth/article/525/salt-poisoning-water-deprivation
Acorns & oak leaves http://www.thepigsite.com/pighealth/article/494/oak-leaves-and-acorns
Moldy walnut shells
Elderberries,
raw Lima beans,
raw Kidney beans,
raw Decayed sweet potatoes (black parts)
Castor beans
Tomato leaves and vine
Avocado – Skin and pit
Corn stalks (high in nitrates) http://www.feedingandfeedstuffs.info/articles/traditional_feeding/corn/1002aj_highnitrates.pdf
Rhubarb – Leaves (stalk is safe to eat)
Potato leaves and green parts of potato
Apple – Leaves & seeds
Apricot – Leaves & seeds
Pear – Leaves & seeds
Peach – Leaves & seeds
Nectarine – Leaves & seeds
Cherry – Leaves & seeds
Plum – Leaves & seeds
Broccoli – Roots & seeds
Cabbage – Roots & seeds
Turnips – Roots & seeds
Mustard Roots & seeds
Tobacco – leaves
Nutmeg- in large quantities
Cassava roots and leaves
Almond – Leaves & seeds (only wild or bitter almonds pose a threat, the almonds in stores have been heat treated to eliminate toxicity)
Raw cashews (the cashews at the store are not raw, and are ok to eat) http://www.ansci.cornell.edu/plants/php/plants.php?action=display&ispecies=swine
Flaxseed – in large quantities long term http://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements/flaxseed-and-flaxseed-oil/safety/hrb-20059416 http://www.livestrong.com/article/141046-flax-seed-bad-side-effects/
Plants that cause Photo sensitivity: http://www.thepigsite.com/pighealth/article/500/plants-causing-photosensitisation-enhanced-sensitivity-to-sunlight
Parsnip tops
Parsley Celery tops
Giant Hog weed
Buckwheat
Saint John’s Wort