Can Pigs Eat Chicken Feed?

Pigs can eat chicken feed as the chicken feeds are designed for monogastric animals, of which pigs and chickens are both monogastric. The constituents for both pig and chicken feed are roughly similar and in some cases the same. This is important as there are many forms of chicken feed from feeds for broilers, layers, free range, and breeders. All these feeds have different specifications and additives so it is important to note which chicken feed is being fed to avoid any issues.

Differences between pig and chicken digestion

Although pigs and chickens are all monogastric animals all having a simple stomach there are some differences in the overall design of the digestive system. One obvious thing you will notice is that chickens do not have a mouth full of teeth to chew their food as pigs do, actually, pigs have more teeth than human beings. To grind their feed chickens, have a gizzard where grit and other hard material accumulate, and are used to grind up feed after it has been softened in the chicken’s crop. These differences have an impact on what chickens and pigs can digest efficiently, notably fiber which chickens are poor at digesting.

What is the difference between chicken and pig feed?

There are very little in terms of differences between chicken and pig feeds the protein, energy, and fiber levels are very comparable. If the requirements of the pigs are known one can then match the relevant chicken feed to the pig requirements. Below are some rough specifications for broiler chicken feeds that can be used to feed pigs, layer feeds can have a high calcium content that might not be ideal for pigs.

Table 1: Typical Broiler Feed Analysis

Table 2: Typical Pig Feed Analysis

Protein

Amino acids which make up protein are important as the building blocks of meat, which is the primary product of pig production. From the examples above we can clearly see some similarities between some chicken and pig feeds in terms of protein content. For example, broiler grower and pig creep feed has a similar crude protein content which means that this feed can be fed to young pigs with no issues

Energy

The same applies to the energy contents of the feeds for the two species, where you will find overlaps and similarities. Broiler grower as previously noted can be fed to piglets as it also has a similar energy content. Energy from both chicken and pig feeds also comes from the same sources, mostly grains.

Fiber

One difference that will affect the ability to use chicken feed for feeding pigs is the low fiber content of the chicken feed. Pigs require fiber in moderate amounts for the normal functioning of their gut and to avoid constipation, especially in pregnant and lactating pigs. It has also been shown that feeding fiber at mating can improve the number of piglets. Chicken feeds average 5% fiber while the minimum fiber content for pig feed is 7%. That means there is no chicken feed that is likely to meet the fiber requirement of pigs even piglets, whose fiber requirement is low.

Can Pigs Eat Chicken Concentrates?

Poultry feed protein concentrates for broilers can be fed to pigs after mixing with grain and grain by-products like maize bran. Mixing ratios for poultry can be followed without affecting the growth performance of growing pigs. One aspect of the productivity of the enterprise that might be affected is the overall profitability as chicken feeds are normally more expensive than pig feeds.

Can Pigs Eat Chicken Pellets?

Most chicken feeds are produced in either mash or pellet form with the latter more common for fast-growing broiler chickens raised primarily for meat. These feeds are also ideal for pig feeding as pigs can also consume pelleted feeds. Pelleted feeds at a young age have been shown to increase the growth performance of piglets fed pelleted feed.

Common Raw Materials in Chicken and Pig Feed

Chicken and pig feeds are all made from the same ingredients mostly grains and oil seed by-products. The most common energy sources for chicken and pig feed are maize, sorghum, rice, cassava, and wheat. The by-products from the processing of the above grains, can also be used as energy and fiber sources in both pig, and chicken feed. Oil seed cakes like soya cake or meal, sunflower, sesame, and cottonseed meal are all used for making chicken and pig feed. Meat and bone meal is also another common raw material in feed for both species of animals.

Feed Additives

Chicken and pig feed also use a wide variety of common antibiotic growth promoters, vitamins, minerals, and enzymes for protein and fiber digestion. This makes chicken feed safe to feed to pigs without any adverse health effects on the animals. However, with medicated chicken feeds one has to check if the prescribed medication and levels included in the feed are safe for pigs before feeding.

Conclusion

Pigs can eat chicken feed with no harmful effects on their health and well-being. Chicken feed especially broiler feed has a lot in common with pig feed and can meet the nutritional requirements of pigs of most ages. Care should be taken, however, to try and closely match the chicken feed being fed with the requirements of the pigs, as any excesses or deficiencies can lead to a drop in the productivity of the pigs. Layer feed has a high calcium content which is not ideal for pigs as they do not require calcium in such high amounts. Chicken feed also has a lower fiber content than that pig feed hence care should be taken to feed chicken feed in moderation, especially to older pigs as the chicken feed will not supply enough fiber.