Domestic pig

All you want to know about Domestic pig

For a list of breeds of domestic swine, see List of domestic pig breeds.

Pig headcount in 2004

Pigs are exhibited at agricultural shows, judged either as stud stock compared to the standard features of each breed, or in commercial classes where the animals are judged primarily on their suitability for slaughter to provide premium meat.

Rare pig breeds

According to the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy ^[9], seven breeds of swine in the U.S. are critically rare (having a global population of fewer than 2000). Outside the U.S., the Auckland Island Pig (New Zealand) and woolly-coated grazing pig (Danube area) are known to be critically rare. Rare U.S. breeds include:

Pig farming terminology

Types of animal

Global pig stocks in 2005
(million)
People's Republic of China	488.8
United States	200.4
Brazil	33.2
Vietnam	27.0
Germany	26.9
Spain	25.3
Poland	18.0
France	15.0
Canada	14.7
Mexico	14.6
World Total	960.8
Source: UN Food & Agriculture Organisation (FAO)

Pig, either the species as a whole, or where the species is called "hog", only young piglets.
Swine, either the species as a whole, or any member of it. The singular is the same as the plural.
Shoat, piglet or (where the species is called "hog") pig, unweaned young pig, or any immature pig.
Sucker, a pig between birth and weaning.
Runt, an unusually small and weak piglet, often one in a litter.
Boar or hog, male pig of breeding age.
Barrow, male pig castrated before puberty.
Stag, male pig castrated later in life, (that is, an old boar after castration).
Gilt, young female not yet mated, or not yet farrowed, or after only one litter (depending on local usage).^[10]
Sow, breeding female, or female after first or second litter.

Pigs for slaughter

Suckling pig, a piglet slaughtered for meat.
Feeder pig, a weaned gilt or barrow weighing 18 kg (40 lb) and 37 kg (82 lb) at 6 to 8 weeks of age that is sold to be finished for slaughter
Porker, market pig between 30 kg (66 lb) and about 54 kg (120 lb) dressed weight.
Baconer, a market pig between 65 kg (140 lb) and 80 kg (180 lb) dressed weight. The maximum weight can vary between processors.
Grower, a pig between weaning and sale or transfer to the breeding herd, sold for slaughter or killed for rations^{[clarification needed]}.
Finisher, a grower pig over 70 kg (150 lb) liveweight.
Butcher hog, a pig of approximately 100 kg (220 lb), ready for the market
Backfatter, cull breeding pig sold for meat; usually refers specifically to a cull sow, but is sometimes used in reference to boars.

Groups

Herd, a group of pigs, or all the pigs on a farm or in a region.
Sounder, a small group of pigs (or wild boar) foraging in woodland.

Pig parts

Pork packing in 1873

Trotters, the feet of pigs (they have four hoofed toes, walking mainly on the larger central two).

Biology

In pig, pregnant.
Farrowing, giving birth.
Hogging, a sow when on heat (during oestrus).

Housing

Sty, a small pig-house, usually with an outdoor run.
Pig-shed, a larger pig-house.
Ark, a low field-shelter for pigs (or other animals such as rabbits or chickens)