Forage Feeding for our Pigs

At HEEFS we always strive to provide a safe, secure home for our residents that allows them to be who they are and experience life on their own terms. Part of this includes how we feed our residents.

Last summer we introduced “forage feeding” for our pig herds. Forage feeding is where whole, unchopped fruit and vegetables are placed in the pastures before the pigs are allowed in to feed. This is done in addition to their regular kibble that they are fed daily. Forage feeding is used from late spring to early fall. In winter our pigs are fed their twice-daily mix of kibble along with chopped fruit and veggies because foraging in the snow and cold is not ideal.

Forage feeding provides many benefits for our pigs and for our volunteers. For our pigs, forage feeding is a more natural way for them to experience their meals and is part of our overall enrichment program.  It allows them to experience whole foods with different tastes and textures. Typically, we will provide whole fruit and veggies that break down easily, like lettuce and cucumber, so any competition for a piece of food can easily be managed by having it simply tear into multiple pieces. For our volunteers, forage feeding frees up the time spent chopping fruit and veggies so they can help with other seasonal chores like pasture maintenance.