Q: Good Day, I have owned my PBP since birth. She is mostly very sweet. We love her very much. She never has nor will she ever, go to a show. She is just for us. My question is simple. I see other pigs on the web that are very huge. My pig is just 130lbs. She has been certified healthy by our vet. Is there a reason she is so much thinner? She is 7 years old. Thanks Randy
A: Randy, there is no way to tell if 130lbs is right for your particular pig. All pigs are different and some are larger than others. The average weight of these pigs coast to coast appears to be 80 to 150 lbs but there are many over that. We never go by weight alone as it can be misleading. What you want is a well rounded pig...there should be no shoulder bones or hip bones showing. Of the pigs here they are all different and all require different amounts of feed. We do tend to like well rounded pigs here...you won't see a thin one here.
The fact that your pig weighs 130lbs wouldn't matter if she was a very small pig because...that amount of weight she could be fat if she is a small pig. Same holds true if she was a large pig...that amount of weight might be a skinny pig. The best judge of your pigs weight and what is healthy for them is you. You know your pig better than anyone. You just don't want to see any bones on her at all.
Remember that the immune system is directly linked to food intake. A healthy well rounded pig can fight off a lot more problems than one that is underweight. Also since you have had her since birth I'm going to assume that she was fed well as a baby. I don't believe ever in putting babies on a restricted diet when young. We certainly wouldn't do it to a puppy or kitten or foal or even a calf so why would we do it to a pig who grows even faster.
Babies need the extra feed to make the bone that will hold them through old age. Pigs that have been raised without this tend to have arthritis at a much younger age. As for your vet....they are hard to interpret as most of them tend to want these pigs a lot thinner than I usually think is healthy. But yes to your original question....I have seen these pigs go as high as 300lbs and still not be fat....just VERY large. Hope this answers your question.
Q: Hi! I was on your web site and was reading all the questions and answers. I do have one concern with my pig Annabell. She is 3 months old and I am very careful with her weight because I just had to put my other pig down, Potbelly also she could no longer get up and walk always had a weight problem with her. She was never fed any snacks and always on a strict diet. Her jowl's got so big she could no longer see. She was 10. I don't want to be to much in fear of getting Annabell too fat that I under feed her. She eats about 1/2 cup pig chow morning and night and lettuce salad in the afternoon for a snack with her vitamins and a top dressing for her coat which I have bought from the web site. She is in the barn but comes out nightly on her halter and long rope to learn a trick or two and I use raisins for a reward. Tops maybe 10. Then she gets to run in the yard and play and get her exercise. She weighs about 24 lb now. Her mother was 50lbs and her father was 35lbs so I'm told. She will be in the barn during the winter, we live in NY quite cold, but she had a house off her stall in a barn that had been well insulated and what a condo this is. Lives high on the hog. She is very much loved and we have bonded very well. She can sit , she comes when called and she kisses. She also loves when I pick her up and love her, go figure! She is very bonded to me. I just want to make sure I don't under feed her in the winter as the exercise will be less. I can let her run inside the barn but don't know if she will want that.
The only gauge I can give you on weight is at 7 weeks she was 10.5lbs and at 12 weeks she was 24lbs that's 14lbs in 5 weeks is that a lot? Thanks for all your time. I'm not ashamed to say I love my Annabell very much any input would be great.
A: Sounds like your baby is very much loved. I don't usually worry about weight until they are done with their growth spurts as no baby animal should be underfed, but sounds like your girl is doing about right. You are the best judge of her weight as all pigs have different metabolisms and different bone structures. Just watch her and keep an eye on it. Young pigs will run a lot off with activity and older pigs don't move around enough to use all the food. Her picture looks really good to me so you must be doing a good job with her.
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