diet for pigs?

Question
I'm wondering what a natural diet for pot bellied and commercial pigs would consist of?  I have a 1 year old
Yorkshire pig and 3 potbellies which have been rescued.  I
would like to get away from feeding them commercial mixes
as I'm not fond of the chemicals they contain or the
expense in feeding them.  Can you recommend a natural mix
of grains and proteins that I could create for them?  I
would like to rescue more pigs in the future but cost in
feeding them is a factor.  Thank you!

Answer
In spite of the recent tragedies involving commercial pet food, it's still the cheapest, easiest way to provide a balanced diet. Grain mills often have a minimum batch size of a ton or more.

The price of quality pot-bellied pig food varies wildly, much depends upon local demand and the cost of transportation. Rescues and sanctuaries that must feed large numbers of pot-bellied pigs often choose a top quality hog chow or complete horse chow (NOT sweet feed).

The key is to look for low protein (12%-14%), low fat and high fiber. Also look at the ingredients, good quality food will list grains, cheap food includes things like "grain products".

The pet/farm animal food industry is responding to consumer demands for organic, natural foods. Ross Mill Farms makes a 100% natural feed called Champion. Other foods are formulated to include extra vitamins for senior pigs, or acidifiers to prevent urinary blockage. All commercial pot-bellied pig foods contain extra supplements like selenium and iron. Foods grown in soils with little selenium and iron are often lacking in those nutrients.

Pigs in the wild are scavengers. They eat pretty much anything they can, including roots, plants, nuts, berries, seeds, leaves, grasses, bugs and carcasses.

Wheat and other grains are nutritious and high in fiber.

Oats are filling but not as high in calories. Rescues and sanctuaries often feed a mix of 1/2 pot-bellied pig food & 1/2 oats to help pigs loose weight.

Alfalfa is a primary ingredient in many animal feeds, some experts feel that it is too high in copper to use extensively in pot-bellied pig food. On the other hand, many rescues and sanctuaries have fed their pigs alfalfa-based complete horse chow for decades with no ill effects.

Corn is fattening, and hog chows designed to fatten hogs for market are often high in corn. Pigs living in cold climates sometimes do better with extra corn in winter.