Vietnamese potbellied pigs are generally kept as pets -- the actor George Clooney had one named Max. Potbellied pigs, relatively short but densely packed animals, come in a variety of colors, with prickly hair, short legs and, as their name suggests, potbellies.
A Small Breed of Pig
Potbellied piglets from a large litter can weigh less than a pound when they are born, but they grow rapidly for the first year and continue growing, albeit more slowly, until they are 3 to 4 years old. Fully grown adults are only 16 to 20 inches at the shoulder and can weigh from 100 to 250 pounds. In comparison, farm pigs can weigh up to 900 pounds and sometimes more. Pigs have dense, compact bodies -- a potbellied pig weighing 150 pounds would be smaller than a German shepherd who weighs around 80 pounds.
Avoid Obesity With Healthy Eating
One poor potbellied pig's weight was recorded as more than 400 pounds. Pigs tend to put on weight easily, so it's important that you control their food intake. Most adult pigs will maintain a healthy weight with daily rations of about 2 cups of feed formulated for potbellied pigs, along with fresh vegetables and a little fruit. Divide the daily allotment into a couple of meals. Do not underfeed potbellied pigs to try to keep them small; their skeletal size is determined by genetics.
References
- Choosing and Keeping Pigs; Linda McDonald-Brown
- Northwest Miniature Pig Association: Potbellied Pigs Just The Facts, Please!
- North American Potbellied Pig Association: Nutrition of the Potbellied Pig
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