Some theories on why ponies aren't vegetarians.

[RainbowTheNinja 50]

Ponies secretly eat bacon. They know they shouldn't, but it's just too GOOD!!!

 

Pigs are cute. And when you have other farm animals, it's just not the same with out pigs. Ponies keep pigs as pets. 

[Wingnut 7,005]

Ponies themselves appear to be strictly vegetarian, but that doesn't necessarily mean they won't raise meat animals for sale to other races that do consume meat.  Delis traditionally were owned by a disproportionately large number of Jews in the past.  But even though Kosher law forbids the use of pork products, the still sold pork to gentile customers. 

[Dusty Soul 2,612]

Yeah, basically she probably just keeps animals for show.  I highly doubt they do anything with them, its just because kids might relate better and actually believe its a farm, if it has animals.

[Spring Storm 276]

As others have said, they probably use pigs for pets. Who knows, though; pigs could have some use to ponies that we don't know about. 

[Master Blade the Bearded 112]

My only thought would be that they are used as trash recepticles. Honestly, they will eat almost any organic matter. This would cut down on trash, and help the environment.

[Alex Kennedy 1,228]

Maybe the pigs are intelligent like the cows, and they just needed somewhere to live... Or it could be truffle hunting... Most likely the creators of the show just decided to screw logic.

[Clarity 3,094]

First of all, ponies are not carnivores. They don't use the pigs as food. 

 

I remember Applejack said that something unnatural about the Everfree Forest was the fact that animals take care of themselves. It's perfectly normal in our world, but in Equestria, that's a strange thing.

 

Thus, we can come to the conclusion that the Apples take care of the pigs. They don't use them or eat them. Cared for them like Fluttershy cares for bunnies and squirrels. Does Fluttershy take them in to be ready to cook them up? No. 

 

So, yes. Like some others said above me, Applejack keeps pigs as pets. Nothing else.

[Wingnut 7,005]

First of all, ponies are not carnivores. They don't use the pigs as food. 

 

I remember Applejack said that something unnatural about the Everfree Forest was the fact that animals take care of themselves. It's perfectly normal in our world, but in Equestria, that's a strange thing.

 

Thus, we can come to the conclusion that the Apples take care of the pigs. They don't use them or eat them. Cared for them like Fluttershy cares for bunnies and squirrels. Does Fluttershy take them in to be ready to cook them up? No. 

 

So, yes. Like some others said above me, Applejack keeps pigs as pets. Nothing else.

I have to admit that's a much more likely situation than selling pork to other sapient beings on the planet.  Pigs are probably used for garbage disposal and they're not bred in the high numbers they are on earth to feed a hungry meat eating populace.  If the griffons, diamond dogs, and other carnivorous species want bacon, they can raise and slaughter their own pigs. 

 

But wait a minute...don't some of the animals ponies keep as pets have to eat at least some meat?

[Starshine 16,335]

Duh, you people forgot that pigs actually have some nifty function in the farmstead. They eat almost everything that they can chew, and their dung makes a good fertilizer. AJ can simply feed them rotten apples and in the other end, she will get some free fertilizer for the apple trees

 

She can also use them to make somepony disappears, though. Them pigs can even eat humans.

[Dimitri Hammer 3,645]

They keep them for the disposal of dead bodies....because a pig can eat a body whole except for the teeth.

 

Probably for either pets or truffle hunting I'd guess

Edited December 12, 2012 by Comrade-Dimitri-Hammer

[RainbowTheNinja 50]

As others have said, they probably use pigs for pets. Who knows, though; pigs could have some use to ponies that we don't know about. 

 

Going with what you said, I have a theory. Deep inside, pigs contain subtle magical powers that only ponies have the power and knowledge to access. They can do wonderous things we humans can't even begin to understand.

[XrosOver 613]

They are most likely used as a source of fertilizer for the other crops they grow like corn and obviously apples. Also, most animals in that show have signs of advanced forms of sentience. They may be able to speak but they are have less ability to organize themsleves to have a society.

[RosH 1]

What do you think Applejack's hat is made of? or Braeburn's vest?

 

I'm pretty sure that there's some sort of Lord Vetinari run tannery somewhere.

 

 

But truffle hunting seems like the most likely explanation that would make it into the show.

[Sunny Fox 5,952]

Duh, you people forgot that pigs actually have some nifty function in the farmstead. They eat almost everything that they can chew, and their dung makes a good fertilizer. AJ can simply feed them rotten apples and in the other end, she will get some free fertilizer for the apple trees

 

She can also use them to make somepony disappears, though. Them pigs can even eat humans.

Well, in Sisterhooves Social, Applejack clearly states that the rotten apples that she and Apple Bloom have to pick up for their chores are fed to the pigs, so this is even given support from the canon. Good job!

[Flying Space Badger 84]

What do you think Applejack's hat is made of? or Braeburn's vest?

 

I'm pretty sure that there's some sort of Lord Vetinari run tannery somewhere.

 

 

But truffle hunting seems like the most likely explanation that would make it into the show.

What makes this really disturbing is leather is generally made from cows, and so far all the cows in the show are sentient.

 

WHAT HAVE I STUMBLED UPON?! WHAT HORRORS?!

[Starshine 16,335]

Well, in Sisterhooves Social, Applejack clearly states that the rotten apples that she and Apple Bloom have to pick up for their chores are fed to the pigs, so this is even given support from the canon. Good job!

late...

 

 

What do you think Applejack's hat is made of? or Braeburn's vest?

 

What makes this really disturbing is leather is generally made from cows, and so far all the cows in the show are sentient.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artificial_leather

 

It's basically your everyday fabric coated in enough plastic and chemicals to make any member of canine families puke for years to come. Considering the ponies have the technology to make vinyl, turntables, and let's not forget they have magic, I'm quite sure that they can easily make an artificial leather, though I'm pretty sure this kind of fabric has a different name in Equestria. Plastic fabric perhaps?

Edited March 16, 2013 by Starshine

[kirbyboi 588]

Well, I think they just have pigs for the sake of Applejack owning a barn. The show doesn't look into tiny details like those, so they had the pigs there so that it could feel and look more like a barn, despite the ponies being vegetarians most likely. 

 

I don't really dissect into these things, because it's just a show. It's a show, so there's barely any logic.

[MJNSEIFER 55]

I'm pretty sure Lauren already answered this; the pigs are used to search for things.  That's at the very least what they planned on doing with them.

[cuteycindyhoney 13,316]

I'm surprised at how wrong everyone is on this thread. There is a simple and clear answer to the pigs in Equestria quandary. Here, I'll let Pinkie Pie answer for herself!

[Silverhoof 2,844]

Point: The great apes are all vegetarians. Humans are omnivorous: we eat meat.
Eating meat gave humans the protein needed to develop our massive brains.

No one in the show ever said that ponies are vegetarians. We just assume so.
Look at the ponies. They bear no more resemblance to earthy ponies and horses than we do monkeys and apes.
We know ponies keep pigs chickens, and sheep. We know they keep dairy cows.

Soooooo, who's to say ponies don't love bacon as much as we do?

 

and Cutey Cindy Honey (above) has a point, If Pinky talks about eating Hot dogs....its canon...right?

[Scootalove 10,689]

Since ponies don't eat meat, and they eat hay and other food. I guess the pig are seen in Ponyville because of agriculture reasons. I guess they are seen to look for food and hang around in the mud. They must be just background animals, it's better not to look too deep into this matter. In conclusion, they are just animals we see in the background and on the Sweet Apple Acres Farm.

[Zygen 6,066]

For the chickens I'll go for the eggs... as they are needed to bake cakes and some cookies. That would also apply for the cows as the milk is also a very important ingredient, so we can estimate the Pony society is vegetarian but not vegan, eggs, cheese, milk, cream and that kind of food must be into their diet.

 

For the pigs, well in our world they are used 99% of the time as a source of meat but there is also another activity they perform like no other creature in the realm of animalia.

 

Truffle hunting and extraction, and we can take that can work as Truffle are a exquisite mushroom considered to be a delicatessen. Its still vegetarian food and the pigs would be usefull.

 

BOOM KNOWLEDGE!!!!!

Well I actually never had any idea, but this post basically makes total sense for the scenario really thinking about it.

 

Only real reason I can think of for having pigs, other then for atmosphere and maybe they just like pigs as pets or something idk.

[MJNSEIFER 55]

Well I actually never had any idea, but this post basically makes total sense for the scenario really thinking about it.

 Yes, it does make sense, because it is what Lauren said the pigs were for, as far as I can remember.  That said, I do agree with Silverhoof's post.

[Thundershock 310]

Hhmm,i've never thought about that.Maybe even thought ponies are vegetarian,they still like to keep them around.Nice to atleast have some types of animals around.

[Betez 1,734]

Why the hell not? I mean, there's just about every other animal in Equestria. Has it been confirmed that Equestria is a Vegetarean society? If not, than I don't see why they shouldn't have pigs.