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Garlic is a significant part of our dishes. It is mainly added for nutrients and flavor. With eating it as a part of meat and vegetable dishes every single day, we have started eating garlic raw for various health concerns as well. It is so enriching so why would we let go of any way of eating garlic anyway?
Ever since we have been enlightened about how garlic is beneficial for our farm animals, we are adding to their diets as well.
Pigs are one of the few farm animals who have been heard to eat garlic as well.
Can Pigs Eat Garlic?
Adding garlic to the pig’s diet does not seem to be a fine idea. Pigs can eat anything, it’s one of the reasons why they are often noticed rotting garbage, eating dead animals, human feces.
If they find garlic somewhere in the garbage or food scraps, they would eat with the other food scrap as well.
However, garlic can not be taken as a safe and healthy option just because the pigs eat it from the scraps.
Do Pigs Like Garlic?
Well, it’s impossible to step into the pigs’ shoes and find out whether pigs like or do not like garlic.
However, pigs do not seem to like garlic. If they were given to eat of their choice, they would not pick garlic or any other bulb vegetable to eat. So, it can be considered that the pigs do not like garlic either.
Raw garlic can cause several health issues
All bulb vegetables are not healthy but toxic to the few farm animals and pets including pigs.
The bulb vegetables must be avoided because they contain a soap-like compound. The said soap-like compound can cause several health issues like seizures and heart rhythm abnormalities.
If the side effects remain unbothered, garlic and other bulb vegetables can cause death as well.
If garlic is that harmful, why do we feed it anyway
There is a misconception, what pigs eat is fermented garlic powder and minced garlic mixed with feed.
The fermented garlic powder is safe and beneficial as long as it is fed in moderation. It has been observed that fermented garlic powder improves ADG and ADFI in weanling pigs.
Moreover, it helps with nutrient digestibility, lymphocytes, and RBC concentrations.
Garlic is believed to be a natural dewormer. Minced garlic is also considered because of its natural deworming properties.
The little amount of minced garlic is often fed mixed with feed once a month to help with deworming.
Other than the two reasons, the knowledgeable livestock keepers do not feed garlic at all.
Legitimate reason to feed
It must be kept in mind that garlic and other bulb vegetables can never make a healthy treat.
Even if feeding once has not shown any side effects, avoid the bulb vegetables at all costs. A fermented garlic powder and minced garlic mixed with feed(once a month) can only be fed upon the vet’s suggestion.
Feeding Suggestion
Since garlic and onions are known to be highly toxic bulb vegetables for pigs.
You need to be careful that the food scraps you throw in your pig feeder do not contain garlic or onion. There are healthier alternatives like
Try feeding the safest fruits and vegetables instead for your pig’s health and wellness.
Summary
Pigs are one of the few farm animals that can eat most of the fruits and vegetables as a treat. However, bulb vegetables like garlic are not considered safe for them as well. All bulb vegetables contain a soap-like compound, it happens to cause several health issues like seizures, heart rhythm abnormalities, and worse death.
It must be avoided at all costs unless you have to deworm or help pigs with weanling. Minced and fermented garlic powder is used for said purposes.
If you have to find a healthy treat for your pet pigs, try feeding dark green lettuce, beets, grapes, pumpkins, zucchini, snow peas, spinach, yams, kale, tomatoes, carrots, pears, apples, berries, grapefruit, melon, cherries, etc.
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