Pigs are omnivores, meaning they naturally consume both plant and animal matter. Therefore, the answer to whether pigs can eat other pigs is yes, as swine are biologically capable of consuming meat, including pork. This behavior is complex, involving natural instincts and abnormal behaviors induced by stress, and is heavily regulated in modern commercial agriculture due to serious health and safety concerns.
Pigs Are Built to Consume Meat
The biological makeup of a pig firmly establishes its omnivorous nature. Pigs possess a monogastric digestive system, characterized by a single, simple stomach designed to process a varied diet efficiently. The stomach contains hydrochloric acid and the enzyme pepsin, which work together to break down proteins, including muscle tissue, into digestible components.
Their dental structure further supports a meat-eating capacity, featuring a total of 44 teeth in an adult pig. This includes incisors for biting, large canine teeth that grow continuously, and molars for grinding both plant material and bone. In a natural environment, the swine diet often includes insects, small rodents, eggs, and entrails of other animals, demonstrating their established ability to consume and process various sources of animal protein.
Cannibalism in Swine Behavior
Cannibalism in swine, while possible, is not a typical predatory behavior but rather a response to environmental, nutritional, or psychological factors. One form of this behavior is observed in reproductive sows, particularly first-time mothers, who may attack and consume their newborn or stillborn piglets shortly after birth. This “savaging” behavior is often associated with nervousness, pain, or agitation during farrowing, a harsh environment, or in some cases, an attempt to recover nutrients.
A more common manifestation of cannibalistic behavior in commercial settings is related to stress and is typically seen in growing or finishing pigs. This involves vices like tail biting, ear biting, and flank biting, which can escalate into the consumption of tissue and blood. Overcrowding, poor ventilation, nutritional deficiencies, and a lack of environmental enrichment can all contribute to frustration and aggressive behavior. These aggressive acts are generally considered behavioral disorders triggered by a stressful living environment.
Regulatory Restrictions and Disease Risk
Despite the biological capacity of pigs to consume pork, the practice of feeding processed animal protein from pigs back to pigs is strictly regulated or banned in many countries, a principle known as “non-cannibalism.” This restriction is primarily due to the risk of disease transmission, particularly transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs), which are caused by infectious agents called prions. Prions are notoriously resistant to heat and common sterilization methods, meaning they can survive in processed feed.
The historical context of the “mad cow disease” (Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy or BSE) crisis, which was linked to feeding infected meat and bone meal to cattle, led to widespread feed bans. The overarching goal of these regulatory actions was to prevent the amplification of prion diseases by stopping the practice of feeding processed protein back to the same species. While the risk of TSEs like BSE is a primary concern, the feeding of meat products, often called “swill feeding,” is also banned because it can spread other serious viral diseases.
Feeding pigs food waste that contains mammalian meat can introduce foreign animal diseases. Outbreaks of highly contagious diseases such as Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD), African Swine Fever (ASF), and Classical Swine Fever (CSF) have been linked to contaminated feed. Current feed ban laws exist globally to prevent these catastrophic disease outbreaks and protect the overall livestock industry.