CAN PIGS EAT APPLES
Just like many other fruits, pigs can eat apples. Pigs love apples. In fact, once they smell apples they race toward them.
Pigs are omnivorous mammals, they have stout bodies and short legs. They also have thick skin which is coated with bristle hair. Pigs being omnivorous gives them the ability to feed on a wide variety of food from plants and animal origin.
Apples are edible fruit, they are edible to almost all including your pigs.
There are many species of apples around the world but the two most common are the red apples and the green apples. They are the ones seen around you in stores and shops.
Apples are the second highest fruit consumed in the world. They are an important contributor to our dietary intake.
If apples are not the best fruit in the world, they should definitely be among the top 5 best fruits in the world due to the source of supplements they give to their eaters. An Apple a day they say keeps the doctor away
Apples can be eaten by pigs. In fact, almost all if not all species of apples can be consumed by your pigs. Your pigs would really benefit from apples when they consume them.
Some benefits of apples to your pigs
Antioxidants
Apples are rich in antioxidants which favors your pigs. Antioxidants are known to prevent cell damage as well as conserve the integrity of the cells.
Vitamin A
Apples contain an adequate amount of vitamin A. Vitamin A is essential for the vision and bone development of pigs. The deficiency of vitamin A supplements might cause vision failure and abnormal bone development in your pigs.
Vitamin C
The way we humans need vitamin c so does pigs also need them. Vitamin c supplement helps numerous metabolic and immune functions in pigs. Apples like other fruits contain enough vitamin c nutrients to offer your pigs.
Potassium
Pigs need potassium for healthy living. Apples are a good source of potassium. A potassium deficiency can lead to weakness in your pigs as potassium help in muscle and nerve function.
Fiber
100g of Apple contains 2.2 g of fibers. Eating food containing fiber helps with some health-related conditions. It is also to help maintain your pig's weight. All that aside fiber can also help keep your pigs full for a longer period, which is a plus on your side as a pig owner.
A pig eating apple
We have talked about apple fruit, it would only be right to talk about Apple seeds as well.
Apple seeds contain a small quantity of cyanide which is harmful when consumed in large quantities and might lead to other health-related issues. Thus, to save you and your pigs the trouble, it would be better to remove all the seeds in the apple before you serve them with the apples.
There is a myth that apples tend to cause teeth problems when consumed by pigs due to their sugar content in them. To debunk this myth, apples would not cause any teeth-related issues to your pigs. if at all, it helps your pig's teeth development process.
If your pigs had any teeth-related issues in the past or the present, it would be best to see a veterinarian before introducing apples to your pig's diet.
Aside from feeding pigs with Apple fruits. You can as well spice things up a little bit by converting apple fruit to different other meals.
Apples can be served to pigs as Apple chips. Though apple chips unlike apple fruit might have lost their nutritional value. chips also have added sugar to them. If you choose to serve your pigs with Apple chips, you should only serve them in little quantities.
Apple sauce like Apple chips is also another form of Apple that some pigs owner find as an alternative to serving their pigs. Applesauce is also known to contain a higher percentage of sugar unlike fruit and it is also said to have lost all its fiber. Aside from all these, apple sauces are still consumable by pigs but they should only be given in moderation to avoid your pigs from gaining excess weight as well as enamel decay.
Apples can be served to pigs in form of juice. Apple juice could be a good alternative for pigs with teeth problems as they might find it hard to chew on apple fruit. It also contains a lot of water. But remember, it should only be served to them in moderation.
Before you go ahead to serve your pig with apples, here are some of the precautional measures that should be taken.
√The first and most important precaution is the introduction of apples to the pig's diet gradually, it is not so advisable to suddenly feed apples or any other food to your pigs at once or all in a day. Gradual feeding would help you study your pig's reaction, whether they enjoy it or not, and also detect any health-related effects of the fruit on them. Once you notice any negative reaction it is only best to stop feeding them with apples.
√ Dont feed your pigs rotten or spoilt apples. Some pig owners tend to toss their pigs any apple they notice signs of rotting since they can't eat them. This is not so advisable. To avoid any digestive tract problems or any other health issues, this should be avoided.
√ cutting apples into tiny pieces before serving them would help the pigs eat well and enjoy them well
√ lastly but importantly as mentioned earlier, apples should be de-seeded before serving them to your pigs.
Summary
with all these benefits of apples to your pig, apples should not be mistaken as an alternative food for pigs. In addition to apples, another source of minerals should be fed to them as well. It is only ideal for apples to be fed to pigs twice a week depending on the quantity.
It should also be borne in mind that, before feeding your pigs with apples, a veterinarian's opinion should be sought.
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