Can Pigs Eat Walnuts? (And How To Feed Them)

Walnuts are generally considered a great source of “healthy” fats, with many benefits and almost no negatives. But as we know not everything that is good for us is necessarily good for other animals too.

So is it safe to feed walnuts to pigs? Can Pigs Eat Walnuts? Yes! walnuts are a good source of fat, protein, fiber and vitamins.

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Are Walnuts Good For Pigs?

Walnuts are considered a healthy food and have many benefits like a good source of omega fatty acid walnuts are also very high in dietary fiber, and they are also considered nutritionally superior to other nuts, with 2-3 times the amount of protein and other nutrients.

There is evidence that walnuts can be beneficial in lowering blood glucose levels. Walnuts are also effective in cholesterol reduction.

Walnut juice can promote an improved general condition, help prevent fever, and relieve constipation, as well as increasing stamina to perform more effectively. There is evidence that it can help protect against heart disease by lowering the LDL (bad) cholesterol level by around 13%, while raising the HDL (good) cholesterol level by 15% to 30%. It has been suggested to increase levels of HDL-C by 30% to 50% in cardiovascular disease patients through daily consumption of walnuts for one year. The compound ellagic acid found within walnut skin may lower LDL cholesterol levels by about 20%. The antioxidants

This is because the fruit pulp contains an antioxidant called ‘resveratrol,’ which helps to prevent free radical damage and other health concerns associated with long-term aging. Resveratrol (also known as trans-resveratrol) is a polyphenol that provides the pig with a natural source of this antioxidant, so it can help protect against cellular damage and premature aging caused by the sun. The pig’s body is able to convert this natural molecule into resveratrol after eating it in the form of the fruit pulp.

Walnuts contain about 60% fat, which is about 30% oil and 30% fat. Generally, nuts do not have much oil, so if your pig has loose stool or diarrhea this may be an indication that you need to cut back on their meal pattern containing nuts.

How To Feed Walnuts To Pigs?

The best way to feed them is to crush the walnuts into a fine powder and mix them into the mash or pelleted feed.

Then you gradually mix in bigger pieces until they will recognize them as part of their diet, and when the hog is big enough you can even give them the whole nuts.

What Nuts Are Good For Pigs?

Nuts in general are always a good addition to any pig’s diet. The most common are:

Acorns: these are the edible brown acorns of the oak tree. They are a little hard and crunchy, but look more like an apple seed and taste a lot like it. Apple seeds should be avoided, as they can cause digestive problems in pigs. Acorns are good sources of calcium and potassium.

Chestnuts: Small white chestnut balls that grow on the trees in Europe, Asia, and North America. They can be eaten whole or crushed into a binder for pig feed mixture or mixed with corn or barley to make meals for hogs.

Hazelnuts: these nuts grow under the ground and are usually planted in gardens. They are very nutty tasting and are a good source of protein and fat, but only about 10% of their weight is oil; as such, it is not recommended to feed them to hogs.

Macadamia Nuts: They have a similar taste to chestnuts but tend to be more oily and not as high in fat. They can often be found in Asia and can be used like chestnuts in making meals for pigs, but they may cause diarrhea if fed to hogs raw.

Peanuts: sometimes called “groundnuts”, peanuts are native to areas of the Americas and are now cultivated in Southeast Asia and elsewhere. While they have a high fat content they can be fed to hogs, they can cause diarrhea when fed.

What Pigs Shouldn’t Eat?

It is also extremely important to know what to avoid feeding to your pigs.

Here is a list of what you need to keep away from them:

– Citrus Fruits: Due to their high acidic levels will cause problems to their digestive system.

– Avocado: Avocado contains persin, which is toxic to pigs.

– Chocolate: yes, you read it right, chocolate is bad for your pigs because it contains toxic elements.

– Coffee: I know, it’s a little bit harder to imagine that the pigs could eat coffee, but you need to know that caffeine is considered toxic for them.

– Ivy: yes, even the beautiful flowers can cause problems if ingested.

Conclusion

Mixing Walnuts, and nuts in general, is a safe and healthy option for the pig’s diet.

They will enjoy the taste and benefit from the nutritional value that it offers, such as the fact that they are rich in Omega 3 fatty acids and Vitamin E, which are essential to the health of any pig.