Since they can consume both vegetables and animal flesh, pigs are categorized as omnivorous, which are conditions pig breeders may find helpful. It’s a frequent fallacy that pigs can eat almost anything, and in actuality, not all meal options are safe for pigs.
Pigs shouldn’t be given certain foods, and some other foods shouldn’t be fed to pigs raw. Potatoes fall under this food umbrella. So, the question can arise, can pigs eat potatoes or even sweet potatoes?
When cooked or dried, potatoes are a good source of energy as their primary energy-producing component is carbs. In addition, potatoes have vitamins like potassium, folate, and vitamins C and B6.
However, even if the answer to can pigs eat potatoes is yes, when prepared correctly, potatoes are a member of the nightshade family and can cause stomach issues in pigs when raw or if they eat too many. In our guide, you can learn more about when can pigs eat raw potatoes and what are the health benefits of potatoes to pigs.
By the end, you’ll know enough about pigs eating potato peelings, and now you need to start cooking them to get all the minerals, and all that good stuff potato skins contain. (Read Can Mini Pigs Eat Bananas)
Can Pigs Eat Potatoes, or Is Eating Potato Peelings Bad?
You might wonder why potatoes need to be cooked or dried before giving them to your pigs, especially because feeding them raw potatoes might be more straightforward and less expensive.
Sometimes, it’s OK for your pigs to eat potatoes, while other times, eating the peelings isn’t so safe.
1. Raw Potatoes
If you ask what animals eat raw potatoes, you’ll find cattle and sheep are the key contenders who can digest potatoes, and raw potatoes are fed to livestock because of this.
However, potatoes contain 70% starch, which pigs are unable to metabolize all at once. As a result, pigs’ stomach problems arise after eating raw potatoes. However, potatoes become simpler to stomach when they are cooked or dried.
2. Green Potatoes
Green potatoes are to be avoided at all costs by pigs. This is because when potatoes become green, the green parts contain a toxic substance called solanine, which can even be dangerous to humans.
Solanine is a naturally occurring compound found in leaves, fruit, and tubers of tomatoes and eggplants. Huge quantities of solanine in pigs can cause your animals to suffer agonizing anguish since it damages the cell membranes of your pig’s intestines.
Your animals won’t properly digest food, which can stop your pig from producing vital enzymes. If you believe your pigs have eaten raw or green potatoes, schedule a consultation with your veterinarian.
3. Can Pigs Eat Potato Peels?
Potato skins and peels are edible for pigs, and they include a lot of vitamins that are good for them. Be wary not to offer them any green skin, and keep in mind to boil the skins for easy digestion.
It would be best if you didn’t feed your pigs an excessive amount of potato peels. Pigs need a balanced diet; thus, potatoes and potato peels won’t provide all the nourishment to meet their nutritional needs.
4. Can Pigs Eat Potato Plants?
Pigs are at risk because of potato vines, patches, and plants because they only have one stomach digestive tract. The potato plant also contains solanine, which might make your pigs sick or even kill them, much as the green parts of potatoes.
It is preferable to fence them off if you want to prevent livestock from grazing on your potato crops. However, remember that all of your animals, not just your pigs, are at risk.
What Healthy Foods Can Pigs Eat?
Besides potatoes, you may safely incorporate a wide range of healthy fruits and vegetables into your pig’s diet.
Pigs enjoy eating a variety of vegetables:
- Cabbage, Carrots, Chard, Cooked Broccoli, Cucumbers
- Dark Green Lettuce, Kale, Pumpkins, Snow Peas
- Spinach, Squash, Sweet Potatoes, Tomatoes, Yams, Zucchini
With fruits, pigs eat:
- Apples, Bananas, Berries
- Grapefruit, Melons, Oranges
- Pears, Grapes, Pitted Apricots, Cherries, Peaches
These items greatly benefit the nutritional requirements of your pig. However, be cautious when giving them fruits because the sugar content can be too high for your pigs. (Read Can Pigs Eat Popcorn)
Can Pigs Eat Sweet Potatoes
Rather than raw sweet potatoes, follow the above advice and cook them before feeding the sweet potatoes to your pigs. You will discover many reasons to give sweet potatoes to your pigs, and they will benefit from them.
Sweet potatoes are a low-cost vegetable that is a good source of nutrients, so they are an excellent addition to your pig’s diet. Thus, pigs can eat sweet potatoes happily when you cook sweet potatoes first.
Can pigs eat raw potato chips?
Often, pigs are like chickens, and vice versa. For example, pigs can eat potato chips, yet watch for added fats and salts as these account for many illnesses in pigs.
How to Store Potatoes
If you want to feed potatoes to your pigs, you need to be sure to store them properly to prevent the formation of solanine.
When storing potatoes, consider the following:
- Keep potatoes in a cool, dry place.
- Store your potatoes in a sack or container that stops sunlight from forming solanine.
- Check potatoes for black spots, bruises, and cuts, and don’t feed these to pigs.
What You Don’t Feed Pigs
Pigs may enjoy almost everything, yet it doesn’t mean it’s good for them.
- Raw meat and raw eggs are some food types that pigs should avoid as they can contract diseases like foot and mouth from meat and lose biotin absorption from eating raw eggs.
- You should not feed your pigs any pet food that is meant for dogs, cats, or other animals. Such food is high in sodium, and this meat type is unsafe for pigs.
- Vitamin C-rich foods should be consumed in moderation to prevent bladder stones; Vitamin C supplements should also be avoided.
What to Feed Pigs Besides Potatoes
One of the main reasons pig owners feed potatoes to their pigs is to cut costs. But potatoes alone won’t give your pig a balanced diet.
Here’s what to feed your pig at each stage.
Piglets:
Piglets should eat small pellet feeds that are easy to eat and digest.
If your pig is about to be weaned, start introducing the feeds you’ll feed it following weaning. Pellet feeds offer an excellent food source for growing pigs and contains enough carbs, protein, vitamins, and minerals.
Growing Pigs:
Growing pigs require more nutritional content because their bodies must support and promote growth.
You may wean it off pellets and onto grains as your pig grows. This meets nutritional needs. If your vet thinks your pig needs extra minerals or vitamins, that’s fine. You can use supplements to meet nutritional needs. (Read Can Guinea Pigs Eat Watermelon Rinds)
Mature Pigs:
Your mature pig can eat barley, rice, corn, and wheat. These carbs will help your pig gain weight. This weight gain would come mostly from fat. You should add proteins to your pig’s diet to enhance muscular growth.
Soybeans and alfalfa add protein. Note: Feeding your pig grains needs to be processed first as this helps your pig’s digestion. Crack or roll them and soak them as it helps increase your pig’s water consumption.
Yet, remember, this can also lead to mold, so feed your pig freshly soaked grains rather than soaking too many that can be fed at one or two times.
