Pigs are omnivores with a good appetite and quickly gain weight when fed properly. Breeders of meat breeds who have their own garden plot ask themselves: are all plants suitable for feeding? For example, is it possible to feed pigs tomato tops? There is no clear answer to this question, since the addition of Solanaceae to the diet requires caution and experience so that livestock deaths do not occur.
Is it possible to give tomatoes to pigs?
The recipe for animal feed depends on the age and purpose.At one month, piglets are weaned from the uterus and transferred to feed, which should be dominated by protein, which promotes rapid weight gain. For digestion and vitamin support, boiled vegetables are added to the food.
With age, the proportion of protein products increases; boiled vegetables are replaced with raw ones, with the exception of potatoes. If a pig breeder has a plantation of tomatoes grown in open or closed ground, then the question arises about the possibility of giving the animals tops and tomatoes.
The vegetable crop belongs to the Solanaceae family. The leaves and stems of tomatoes contain a plant glycoside - solanine. The alkaloid protects the plant from being eaten by animals, since in large doses it causes poisoning, even death.
There is no solanine in ripe fruits. In green tomatoes, the percentage of alkaloid depends on the degree of ripeness: the more unripe, the higher. Piglets under 3 months and sows are not fed tomatoes in any form and their above-ground parts.
Advantages and disadvantages
The composition of tomatoes is 90% water. They lack fiber and protein, which are necessary when feeding pigs for rapid weight gain. Tomatoes are low-calorie foods. They are not champions in the content of nutrients, but they have a high content of potassium, vitamins A and C.
Potassium affects kidney function. Considering that pigs consume large amounts of water, the introduction of tomatoes into complementary foods will benefit the functioning of the animals’ excretory system.
With the help of tomatoes, both ripe and unripe, you can improve the taste of food, such as derti, potato peelings, which will make them easier to eat.
Rules for introducing into the diet
It is recommended to add tops to the diet of animals in small quantities, mixed with other herbal supplements. The specific smell of fresh leaves and stems reduces the appetite of animals. Dried plants used as a vitamin supplement are eaten more readily.
After harvesting at the end of the season, the above-ground parts can be ensiled and fed throughout the winter. Dry oat chaff (at least 5% of the total silage mass) is added to freshly pulled bushes that have high humidity. When adding, the mixture is sprinkled with sour skim milk (for better fermentation) at the rate of 0.5 liters per 100 kilograms. When feeding and ensiling, do not use parts of plants that are affected by mold, late blight, rotten, or withered earlier.
To remove solanine from green tomatoes, just soak them in salted water for 3-4 hours, changing the water twice. A similar result will be obtained if the fruits are boiled for 5-7 minutes. To avoid diarrhea in animals, tomatoes are introduced into complementary foods in small portions, starting from 100-200 grams per head. The maximum volume of fruit depends on the weight of the pig, but should not exceed 2 kilograms.
Silage based on tomato stems and leaves begins to be produced at a rate of 0.5 kilograms per animal. A daily volume of tomato silage exceeding 10 kilograms can lead to poisoning and death of livestock.
