It may surprise you to know that, like humans, pigs have one stomach, and they have 10,000 taste buds, while we only have 6,000! So it is fair to say pigs love to eat. But most people believe pigs can eat anything and everything, which is not true.
It is vital for all pig owners to know which foods are suitable for their pigs and which ones can cause issues. Today in this article, we discuss kiwi, its effect on pigs, and what foods pig owners should avoid supplying to their swine.
Can Pigs Eat Kiwi? Yes, pigs can eat kiwi fruit, as long as consumption is in moderation and is kept as a treat only; it is entirely safe for pigs’ diet. Fresh Kiwis are full of vital nutrients, vitamins, and minerals that aren’t just fantastic for humans but great for pigs too.
For example, it contains vitamin C, which helps support critical bodily functions, vitamin K for optimum bone health, and vitamin E. It also consists of calcium and phosphorus. Kiwis are 83% water and 15% carbohydrates.
Even though kiwi fruits are packed full of goodness for pigs, they are not suitable if fed regularly.
Fruits, in general, contain lots of sugar which aren’t good for swine’s health and can cause unhealthy weight gain and arthritis.
Mass amounts of vitamin C can cause bladder stones in pigs, so fruit consumption needs to be limited.
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Can Pigs Eat Kiwi Skin?
Absolutely! As mentioned earlier, kiwi skins can be eaten by pigs. The skin has a high amount of vitamin C and E, which can help with many bodily functions.
There are different types of kiwi, and the skins can be different from one another; for example, some are fuzzy and rough, while others are smooth and fuzz-free.
If you have piglets or miniature pigs, it is best to cut the skin, no matter the type, into small pieces to aid easier digestion and avoid choking hazards.
Can Mini Pigs Eat Kiwi?
Yes, they can consume kiwi, as long as it’s in moderation. Mini pigs love fruits, vegetables, and seeds as long as they are fresh; they are a vital part of a pig’s diet as they contain nutrients that many mini pig pellet feeds don’t include.
You are best to only feed one or two servings a week to mini pigs. It is also essential to cut the kiwi skin into small pieces for easier digestion and prevent choking hazards.
Can Wild Pigs Eat Kiwi?
Yes, wild pigs can consume kiwi depending on their species and the area they live. Wild pigs can handle more sugar than domestic and commercial pigs due to spending most of their days foraging for food, so they use the excess sugar in fruits such as kiwi for energy.
Domestic and commercial pigs are fed regularly and don’t have to worry about when and where their next meal is coming from, so excess sugar in fruits will turn into glucose stored as fat.
Therefore, fruits are better for wild pigs.
Can Potbelly Pigs Eat Kiwi?
Yes, kiwi can be consumed by potbelly pigs.
As with all domestic and commercial pigs, kiwi needs to be limited for potbelly pigs, too, due to the high sugar content.
While you may feed fresh veggies as 25% of your pigs’ diet, fruit needs to be supplied with caution and should only be consumed once or twice a week by swine to ensure they stay healthy, stay at a good weight, and health risks remain minimal.
What Foods Can’t Pig Eat?
Contrary to belief, pigs can’t eat everything, and certain foods are toxic. It is vital as a responsible pig owner that you know what foods aren’t suitable for pig consumption to avoid them.
There are so many different foods they can’t eat, but here are a few popular ones that you are best to avoid.
Caffeinated Foods
Caffeine is a stimulant and shouldn’t be fed to pigs as it not only can cause hyperactivity, it can significantly affect their reproduction system. It can also trigger a genetic disorder in pigs called porcine stress syndrome. PSS can cause terrible health issues in pigs, such as hypothermia, respiratory distress, heart failure, and death. Therefore, it isn’t worth the risk, and you are best to avoid feeding caffeine of any kind to pigs.
Bones
Pigs shouldn’t consume any bone, even if cooked, as they can easily splinter and become choking hazards and then cut through pigs’ digestive systems. Even if they are softened bones, avoid giving them to your pigs as a precaution.
Salt
Salt poisoning can be severe in pigs if they have consumed too many salty foods or are severely dehydrated.
Digesting too much salt can cause constipation, circling, blindness, seizures, and many more issues. An important note is to keep other animals’ salt boxes far away from pigs and ensure they can’t access the brine after a flooding or heavy rainfall.
Fruit Pits
Even though the fruits containing the pits are acceptable for pig consumption, avoid feeding the pits to your pigs.
Pits can cause digestive issues as the pit can get stuck in the digestive tract. Some pits contain the toxin cyanide, found in fruits such as cherries, apricots, and apples.
Cyanide poisoning can cause minor issues such as excitability, muscle tremors, and staggering, and if fed in large quantities, it can cause seizures, heart issues, and death. Always remove the pits of all fruits to ensure your pigs remain cyanide-free.
Green Potatoes
As with many animals, green parts on potatoes, including skin and sprouts, are dangerous to pigs.
These parts of the potato contain solanine which is highly poisonous to pigs. It can cause serious issues such as a weak pulse, rapid heartbeats, paralysis, and death.
If you are feeding potatoes to your swine, make sure they consume them fast as the sun can cause perfectly good potatoes to go green. It’s also best to peel, boil and wash the potato before supplying them to your pig.
Processed Foods
Processed foods aren’t just unhealthy for regular consumption by humans, but animals too – and this includes pigs of all kinds.
Even wild pigs that use energy daily from foraging experience adverse reactions to processed human food.
Because it contains no nutrients and high amounts of sugar, fats, and salts, processed foods can cause seizures, neurological problems, weight issues, and blindness.
You are much better off giving fresh fruit such as kiwi to pigs for a healthy treat.
Moldy/Rotten Foods
Pigs aren’t garbage disposals; Always avoid feeding rotten foods to pigs. If you wouldn’t eat them, dispose of them.
Rotten foods are poisonous to pigs due to their sensitivity to mycotoxins which inhibits moldy foods.
Growing pigs are especially susceptible to these, and they can cause intestinal, immune, and reproductive system problems and kidney and liver damage. Always avoid feeding rotten foods to pigs.
Conclusion: Can Pigs Eat Kiwi?
Yes, kiwis are a fantastic treat for pigs as long as it’s in moderation, no more than two-three times a week, depending on the type of pig. Kiwis are full of essential nutrients and should be on your pigs’ treat list; they are also perfect treats for training.
Remember to research all foods before providing them to your pig, as the list of foods toxic to them is longer than you think; in fact, there are hundreds of items that are toxic to pigs.