# Pigs and dog/cat food, yes/no?



## secuono (Jul 28, 2012)

I know they make pig pellets or you can feed human food scraps, but what about dog or cat food? Since pigs need meat as well, would those feeds work or is it not safe?

Or canned dog/cat food? 

My fiance asked these questions last night, I really couldn't answer him.


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## Cornish Heritage (Jul 28, 2012)

Blast! I wish I could remember why but I do know that it is not good to feed pigs dog and/or cat food for a long period of time. I have seen this discussion on other forums & I know it has been not advised. The minerals may not be balanced correctly? PLUS dog food is more expensive than pig feed anyways. When feeding pigs we try to stay as natural as possible. No we are not perfect. Our pig feed is not organic so goodness knows what chemicals have been sprayed on the crops before they were harvested but the feed does not have any preservatives etc in it which many do. 

Many dog/cat foods have colorings & additives that you would not want in your meat PLUS so many foods these days have animal fat preserved with BHA/BHT which is known to be carcinogenic. (Yeah! Go read all those labels on the sausage you can buy in the store. BHA/BHT is in nearly all of them not to mention many many other foods. I even noticed it on a sucker label that someone gave our kids the other day!)

Liz


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## drdoolittle (Jul 28, 2012)

You can feed dog food when in a pinch (like you are out of pig feed and can't get any right away) but I don't reccomend it as part of a pig's natural diet.  I stick with mini-pig food and am just now feeding 2 of my pots regular pig feed to see how the grow for butcher.


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## redtailgal (Jul 28, 2012)

Dog food and Cat food are very high in protein, much to high for a pig to eat on a regular basis.  WHile pigs to eat meat, its not the mainstay of their diet, so a diet rich in protein will quickly harm the kidneys and liver of the pig.

Even feeder pigs do not do well,  they develop too much fat and not enough meat, and are poorly, making for a poor quality meat.


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