Manna Pro Treats

Question
Hello. My husband bought a small bag of Manna Pro Bite-Size Nuggets that are a treat for horses. He insists they are safe and that we can give them to our pot-bellied pig but, I'm not so sure.
Any ideas or suggestions would be very much appreciated. Thanks!

Anita

Answer
Pigs are natural scavengers and omnivores. They can eat practically anything. The problem is they gain weight very easily, and calories add up quickly.

I'm not familiar with that particular horse treat, but Manna Pro is a brand known for excellent quality food. The only potential danger is the amount of sugar in the nuggets. Horses (unlike pigs) can be picky eaters, so feed companies often add sweeteners like molasses or sugar beet pulp to horse feed to entice stubborn horses to eat. Most horse treats are also highly sweetened, so they taste like treats to the horse.

Check the package label, look at the ingredients and nutritional information. If molasses, beet pulp, cane or dried fruits are high on the list, it's probably fairly high in calories. It's Ok for piggy to eat them, but in limited amounts. Break them into small pieces, pigs enjoy tiny treats as much (or more!) than big ones.