A lot of people eat potbelly pig and I do too. Potbellied pigs aren’t reared the same way as commercial pigs are.
Yes! I raise them for meat. They’re cheaper, safer for older people like me, to have, and they eat anything and everything.
They should be allowed to free-range because If the pot-bellies are confined to limited space and fed regular pig feed they become very fat meaning more lard than meat.
They can reach 300 pounds but in real life, it is rare for many reasons and they are slaughtered at about 60 pounds.
Some Cons of breeding them for meat include:
- They attain puberty really quickly. I’m talking for 4 months.
- They begin breeding from 4 months.
- Problem managing a free-range herd and they’d most likely interbred when not monitored closely
In my opinion, the best use for pot-bellied pig is the hybrid with the Hungarian fluffy “sheep” Mangalica pig. The hybrid is known as Karmal.
They get as big as commercial hogs and need almost no care, particularly immune to harsh cold weather that Asian pigs and regular commercial hogs don’t survive.
Their meat is unique too and resembles beef quite a lot.
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Are Potbelly Pigs Good for Meat?
It depends. If you’re sold good stock that isn’t born from underage mothers or inbred, then Yes, it is good for meat. Otherwise, it is not.
There are homeowners who keep and raise them for meat. They refer to them as Asian Heritage Hogs as it is less upsetting to the pet crowd in the United States.
When raising them for meat, control the diet because they can and will put on plenty of fat if they get too much of the wrong food to eat.
With the correct diet, they are good for meat and taste yummy.
Do Pot Belly Pigs Taste Good?
Yes. They taste a bit fatty with a milder flavor, and a delicious flavor. I enjoyed it.
What Foods Are Not Permitted For Potbellied Pigs To Consume?
Do not feed your potbellied pig the following:
- Dog or Cat food
- Chocolate
- Salty foods
- Junks
- Cheap food
- Rubbish
If you really want good (and I mean like really, REALLY good) pork, then go buy potbelly piglets. You can buy them cheap for less than $10.
Next, put them out in a nice big pasture or let them free range the barnyard. Then plant an additional row in the garden for them, and provide them with all of the good hay they need, with plenty of fresh veggies, fruits and just a handful or so of grain.
Pigs have been bred over the years to gain on a high-fiber diet and I’ve raised good ones who derive most of their feed from pasture, cleaning up after the other livestock and the literal handful each for a treat to put them to bed at night. You want them just shade plumper than nicely muscled.
If you keep them in a restricted environment like a pen and pour grain into them, then they will get obese and of course, the meat will be full of fat – they’re fat!
Make certain that your pig has continuous access to lots of clean drinking water and food.
Are Pot belly pigs mean?
No, not in my experience. Potbelly pigs are amongst the friendliest I have ever seen.
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