Pigs can eat tomatoes, yes. You just have to make sure you feed the pigs tomatoes that are ripe and stem-free. Immature tomatoes can cause abdominal pain, and the stalks are toxic to pigs. Otherwise, tomatoes are a good source of vitamins and a good part of your piggy diet, so don’t worry.
Tomatoes are available in almost all stores. Further, it can be relatively cheap in terms of price. With low cost and high nutritional value, it can be tempting to give some to our hogs.
But then, are tomatoes safe for our pigs to eat?
Let’s get into it more!
Contents
- 1 Are tomatoes poisonous to pigs?
- 2 Can potbelly pigs eat tomatoes?
- 3 What about pet pigs? Can they eat tomatoes?
- 4 Can pigs eat cherry tomatoes?
- 5 Can pigs eat tomato plants?
- 6 How often can you give tomatoes to pigs?
- 7 Are tomatoes good food for pig growth?
- 8 What feed is best for pigs?
- 9 What should you not feed pigs?
- 10 Summary
- 11 Resources
Are tomatoes poisonous to pigs?
Tomatoes aren’t poisonous to pigs. What makes it toxic are the stems and not the fruit itself.
Tomatoes belong to the Solanum genus like the Deadly nightshade.
Since they belong to the same family, the stems contain similar components. Most of these components are poisonous to animals.
These fruits are beneficial for hogs. Regular consumption increases a hog’s vitamin C and A, which contributes to good health.
If you are hesitating to give your pigs some tomatoes due to poison, there’s no need.
Just ensure that you’re only feeding the fruit, and you remove the stem beforehand.
At the same time, you can feed it some tomatoes as leftovers from a dish. Although it contains lesser nutrients, it still has something that will be of help to your hogs.
Related – Can pigs eat oranges?
Can potbelly pigs eat tomatoes?
Potbelly pigs would also enjoy eating tomatoes. Like other pigs, they would reap the benefits of Vitamin A and C in such a fruit.
Vitamin A would aid in maintaining good eyesight. At the same time, Vitamin C would support a robust immune system to fight off diseases.
Below is the list of nutrition hogs can get upon consuming a tomato:
- Calories: 18
- Water: 95%
- Protein: 0.9 grams
- Carbs: 3.9 grams
- Sugar: 2.6 grams
- Fiber: 1.2 grams
- Fat: 0.2 grams
A tomato may not have a lot of protein and fat to aid its growth. However, it offers nutrients that help strengthen the immune system.
Further, tomatoes are rich in water, so eating some would aid in keeping your hogs hydrated.
Related – Can pigs eat celery?
What about pet pigs? Can they eat tomatoes?
Yes, you may offer some tomato treat for your pet pigs. With the same principle, be sure to take away the green stem that connects the fruit and the plant.
Like other hogs, your pet will have an immunity boost with vitamin A and C from tomatoes.
If your pet is still small, limit its tomato intake to at least once a week. A few bits of tomatoes a week should suffice as a treat.
Or, if you want, you can just mix tomatoes in any dish you’re offering your pet.
Can pigs eat cherry tomatoes?
Cherry tomatoes, although smaller, offer the same benefits as the regular ones.
The downside of cherry tomatoes is that you’ll need more of it to compensate for its size.
Still, as a treat, cherry tomatoes should work the same way as any other tomato.
A reminder, though. Keep in mind that you should always remove the stems before feeding it to these animals.
Although smaller in size, cherry tomatoes’ stems can be as poisonous as the ordinary ones’ stems.
Can pigs eat tomato plants?
The short answer is no. Pigs cannot eat tomato plants. As I said, the fruit itself may not be harmful, but the stem and the tree are toxic to these animals.
Unlike a banana’s trunk and leaves (all are edible for hogs), tomato leaves and stems are toxic.
Thus, pig owners may make a mistake by thinking these animals can eat tomato stems and leaves.
If you are raising a pig, avoid giving it access to tomato plants. Doing so invites any accident if it eats some of the leaves and stems.
How often can you give tomatoes to pigs?
Although the tomato fruit is safe, it does not necessarily mean you should feed it regularly.
No matter how nutritious tomatoes can be, they are still not the primary food for hogs.
Pigs need protein and fat-rich foods to aid their growth. Further, too much consumption of such can lead hogs to suffer some digestive issues.
As a general rule of thumb, treat tomatoes only as treats and not a part of a hog’s daily diet.
Can pigs eat onions or chicken bones? Check it out!
Are tomatoes good food for pig growth?
A tomato has perks, but if you’re looking for a pig’s growth, there are better options.
Pigs need loads of protein and fat to have steady growth. Unfortunately, tomatoes don’t have large amounts of such components.
However, tomatoes may indirectly help a hog’s growth by maintaining a healthy body.
This fruit serves as a good source of vitamin C, which helps boosts immunity.
Since diseases affect growth, preventing such would help hogs as they grow.
What feed is best for pigs?
If you’re still hesitant to feed tomatoes for your hogs, you can opt for other food. Below is the list of safe food for pigs:
Scraps or leftovers
All kinds of scraps and leftover food are safe for hogs. If you have a leftover dish with tomatoes in it, that would be perfect for these animals.
Although leftovers look horrible, these animals can still benefit from it.
Vegetables
You can always feed them vegetables in particular. The vegetables that pigs usually love are sprouts, beets, celery, broccoli, and carrots.
You could also feed these hogs some potatoes, although it’s best to offer it cooked. Feeding them raw potatoes may cause an upset stomach.
One thing you should avoid is spices such as onions and garlic. Onions, both raw and cooked, can be toxic to hogs.
Fruits
Pigs would also enjoy some sweet fruit treats. They would enjoy all sorts of fruits such as apples, pears, watermelons, grapes, bananas and oranges and more.
Pig Pellets
Setting aside all the natural food, people produce pellets solely for pigs.
Such a feed provides the essential nutrients hogs need to grow healthy and strong.
If you’re not sure what to feed your hogs, buying pig pellets is your best choice.
What should you not feed pigs?
While pigs may eat everything you will give, it does not mean everything is safe for them. Watch out for these foods, and avoid feeding these to your hogs:
- Moldy, slimy, or rotten food (avoid providing anything you won’t eat)
- Raw meat and eggs (always give them cooked meat and eggs to prevent bacterial infections)
- Foods that are too salty and sweet (these kinds of food may make their stomach upset)
Pigs are omnivores. Thus, they need nutrients from both meat and plant-based food.
Always give these animals a balanced diet to achieve maximum health and growth.
Summary
Feeding tomatoes to pigs helps in boosting their immunity. As such, a few pieces as treats should be safe for them.
Still, since it belongs to a family of poisonous plants, be extra careful not to include the stems and leaves.
With caution and attention, feeding tomatoes along with a balanced diet would be enough to optimize a hog’s health.
Resources
Image credits – Photos by Fi Jones and Lars Blankers on Unsplash
