How much forage to feed?

[Qualcast&Flymo]

Just wondering how much forage I can give to my pigs in addition to their hays, grass and veggies.

I currently give them a handful of grass twice a day sometimes with a few dandelion leaves or clover mixed in. I have also been growing a bed of calendula, so recently they have also had one or two flower heads each of that most days.

My garden grows loads of milk thistle and also geranium (cranesbill) which Abi_nurse lists as being ok for piggies, but I haven't tried feeding those yet.
At the moment I'm giving the forage fresh picked out of my garden, but in winter I hope I'll have a supply of dried plants ready for when the weeds stop growing. I've just dried a small tray of calendula in my aga to see if it will keep in a plastic box ok.
I am wondering though, is there a limit to how much of such plants they can have, either in total or in individual plants? If fed fresh, does it replace the veggies? Are the amounts allowed different if they are dried?

My 3 certainly have been enjoying these little extras and I'm sure they would happily eat lots more, but I don't want to overdo it and cause problems

 

[Betsy]

@teddymouse is the forage queen so should be able to help.

 

[teddymouse]

If giving forage,cut right down on vegs, make sure if drying, forage is completely dry, if you haven't done so they won't keep and will go mouldy. Once it's all dryed l chop it up into cardboard box trays,unsealed. Thistles and dandelions take longer to dry because of their milk context ,they make for treats during winter. Grass, mine get as much as they want, hay is available to them 24/7.l,m starting to feed pellets as the weather is starting to get cooler, lm also drying mazie , cobs and stems, carrots slices, beetroot sticks. This is my herd of 28 feeding, these are free range rescue, working piggies,

 

[Pigoles]

My piggies adored sow thistle!