Are Farmed Pigs Fed Pork? Is This Dangerous or Unethical?

No pig farmers who kill a pig for the freezer will often feed the leftover bits back into the pigs' food troughs for the next feed. If porky (a playful nickname for a pig) is eating any commercial swine food, it is highly unlikely that they will be consuming any animal-based protein whatsoever.

Commercial Swine Food Ingredients

A typical ingredient list for commercial swine feed consists of a variety of plant-based materials, such as:

Ground Corn Wheat Dehulled Soybean Meal Wheat Red Dog Broth from Corn Dried Molasses Calcium Carbonate Monocalcium Phosphate L-Lysine Rice Hulls Corn Distillers Dried Grains with Solubles Cane Molasses Salt Lignin Sulfonate Copper Sulfate Riboflavin Calcium Pantothenate Whey Protein Vitamin E Vitamin D3 L-Threonine Biotin Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex Vitamin K Selenium Niacin Sodium Bentonite Organic Soybean Oil Dried Bacillus subtilis Fermentation Product Dried Bacillus licheniformis Fermentation Product Yucca schidigera Extract Manganese Sulfate Manganous Oxide Zinc Sulfate Ethylenediamine Dihydroiodide Ferrous Sulfate Basic Copper Chloride Sodium Selenite

I promise you, the pig doesn't care a bit. I have chickens, and when a chicken dies and shows flesh, the other chickens happily eat the deceased bird. This behavior is not unique, as it is common in nature.

Ethical and Health Concerns

Beef and pork are often said to be unethical or wrong due to the negative changes they bring to body and mind. Although these effects can be difficult to explain, there is a human fear associated with consuming these meats. Throughout the world, we have observed that eating beef or pork can cause certain germs to germinate inside the body. This is a fact that contributes to the belief that eating these meats is unethical.

In this context, the argument that consuming beef or pork is unethical often includes concerns about animal welfare. Some believe that killing animals for food is a sin. While these beliefs may seem unnecessary to some, they are deeply ingrained in many cultures and religions.

Conclusion: Safety and Ethical Considerations

Whether or not it is dangerous or unethical to feed farmed pigs pork is a complex issue. If the pork is truly organic and cooked, it is likely safe to use. However, ethical concerns remain significant. The welfare of animals should always be a critical consideration in our decision-making processes.

At the end of the day, the decision to feed pork to pigs is a matter of personal and cultural values. Understanding the reasons behind these beliefs can help us make more informed choices.