Officers said it could have taken the gang up to six hours to round up all the piglets, aged between three weeks and three months, from the farm in Standish, near Manchester.
Nicky Mercer, the policeman heading the hunt, said the haul on Friday night could net the thieves about 40,000 pounds but added it could also spell death for some of the piglets.
"Some of the pigs are very young and need to be kept in heated units or they will not survive," he said.