juvenile pigs
sucker or piglet
pig between birth and weaning
weaner
pig that has been weaned up to around 30kg (around 8 weeks of age)
grower or porker
20- 60 kg
sale/ market porker
sold at 9-16 weeks 70kg
finisher
about 50-100kg
sale/ market baconer
sold at 17-24 weeks 100+kg
mature pigs
boar
entire male over 9 months
barrow
castrated male
sow
adult female which has had one or more litters
gilt
female that has not yet given birth
herd size
number of sows in a herd
giving birth is called
farrowing
farrowing rate
number of sows mates that actually farrow
weaning
permanent separation of sow and suckers
2 domestication events recorded (but up to 6 possible)
in 18th/19th centures
asian bigs hybridized with european pigs
our domestic pigs originated from
eurasian wild boar (sus scrofa)
what family are pigs in, how many species
suidae
16 species
wild boar
feral pig
domestic animals that have reverted back to wild pop
in australia
pigs are highly
adaptable; able to thrive in large range of environments
large white