# Can pigs live off of pasture like other animals?



## secuono (Jun 26, 2012)

If I got a trio of pot belly piglets, would I be able to just let them pasture with the other animals? Would they teat up everything or leave mud holes around? Would I have to feed them other things?
I much rather just have them out there eating the greens than eating the green in my purse!


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## CochinBrahmaLover=) (Jun 26, 2012)

secuono said:
			
		

> If I got a trio of pot belly piglets, would I be able to just let them pasture with the other animals? Would they teat up everything or leave mud holes around? Would I have to feed them other things?
> I much rather just have them out there eating the greens than eating the green in my purse!


I dont know really, other then wen we had our pigs, so long as it wasnt toxic, we threw everything into a bucket (Slop) and gave it to them. They seemed to eat anything, and they grew well till butcher. We never bought pig food, either i dont recall, just slop and whatever they could find in their pen (and the times where they would run threw the house to get dog food, LOL), but YES, they will make mudholes given there is water someone to make a mudhole. By the time they were gone the pen was big 'ole mud hole (but we <3'ed them)


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## Cornish Heritage (Jun 30, 2012)

> If I got a trio of pot belly piglets, would I be able to just let them pasture with the other animals? Would they teat up everything or leave mud holes around? Would I have to feed them other things?
> I much rather just have them out there eating the greens than eating the green in my purse!


Yes you can let them pasture with other animals BUT you have to train them to fence first else they will run everywhere & become a total nuisance. We do not normally let ours out to real pasture until they are about 4 mths old by which time they are well trained to the electric netting & will respect regular polywire/hi-tensile.

It all depends on the breed of pig whether they will tear up your pastures. We have never had PB's so can't answer that. Our Large Blacks do not tear up the pastures.

You will need to feed them more than grass. All your household scraps/veggies etc, spare milk & eggs will work. If you are not feeding them a grain mix it would be a good idea to provide them with a mineral mix free choice so that they can eat that if needed. We feed Redmond Conditioner. 

Liz


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## that's*satyrical (Jun 30, 2012)

I think some breeds of pigs are more into foraging than others. I would give them some feed & let them forage for what they will too. I wouldn't think they would be able to find enough to live on forage alone or at least not enough to thrive & grow.


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## Cornish Heritage (Jul 2, 2012)

> We do not normally let ours out to real pasture until they are about 4 mths old by which time they are well trained to the electric netting & will respect regular polywire/hi-tensile.


I should clarify my above statement. All our pigs are on pasture 24/7 BUT the ones we are training to electric netting are only on a small section due to the length of the fencing. Once they are trained they are given a much larger ares to roam on. 



> I think some breeds of pigs are more into foraging than others.


That is very true. If you put a regular commercial pig out on pasture it would be clueless. I know from experience that Hampshires are really bad rooters - they will turn your pasture over in no time hence they are no longer here on the farm!

Liz


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## aggieterpkatie (Jul 3, 2012)

I don't think it would be a good decision to just let your pigs forage and not feed them grain (Which is what I think the OP was asking?)  They can definitely graze and forage, but they also need other sources of food, because pigs are not ruminants and really can't thrive soley on grass.


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## drdoolittle (Jul 3, 2012)

Check out this website:  www.windridgefarm.us/potbellypigs.htm 

Their pot belly pigs only forage for food----but you have to have the proper amount of acreage for each pig.  Something I would LOVE to do with mine.


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## Cornish Heritage (Jul 3, 2012)

> but you have to have the proper amount of acreage for each pig.


That is SO important. There are one or two folks out there raising full size pigs on grass/alfalfa hay only & supposedly having success. (I say "supposedly" as I have never seen their operations so cannot make an informed judgement.) We could not do it here - our pastures are WAY too poor. You do not have to feed grain though - there are other options - milk, fruit, veg etc. 

Liz


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## PendergrassRanch (Jul 17, 2012)

This is great to know! 

We would like to raise a pig every now and then but I am so opposed to feeding them grain.


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## secuono (Jul 17, 2012)

They would be PB pigs, others are too big. 
I would only have eggs from the chickens to feed them, obviously also the grass of 4.5 acres.

Idk, possibly have a moving fence for them to graze.


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## Cornish Heritage (Jul 17, 2012)

If you can, you really should rotate their pasture - the grass & them will be much better for it. 

As to no grain - that is OK but remember they have a digestive system like ours so they do better if they have a variety. If you only have a couple pigs especially the smaller ones you will be amazed at how far your kitchen scraps will go  Good hay in the winter when there is no grass is good too. We feed an alfalfa mix here. If you feed eggs, part boil them first - easier for them to digest. 

Liz


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## secuono (Jul 28, 2012)

I have ducks and chickens, so eggs I can give them. But we really don't have much other scraps here and it we do have a handful, we give it to the birds. We only have 10 chickens, 5 ducks and 4 guineas. But also have 4 dogs and 2 cats, so meat goes to them, raw goes to three of the 4 dogs. 

I can toss them pig pellet, corn or dog/cat food as a supplement, I just want to limit it as much as possible.

Do PBs root a lot? Will I be filling in a lot of holes so my horses don't break their legs?


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## cat1994 (Feb 2, 2013)

Kune Kune pigs are grazers as they dont plow under the grass and are able to grow out on grass they actually say that giving them grain just makes them to fat. Im not sure if Pot Bellied Pigs would move around enough and really graze all that much or at least enough for them to live off it they may root it all up. But if I remember from when I had PBs they didnt root all that much as they were just a smaller hog like how my Kune Kune pigs are now.


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## Cornish Heritage (Feb 2, 2013)

> I can toss them pig pellet, corn or dog/cat food as a supplement


Don't feed them dog or cat food - most of that is junk. If you are going to feed grain either feed a non-medicated pig pellet or a soaked crushed whole grain. If you feed regular grain without soaking it for 24 hours it will just pass right through them & your chickens will be very happy 

Liz


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