A pig is Animal description, species

2024 Author: Howard Calhoun | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:16

In the countries of the former Soviet Union, it is customary to breed various breeds of pigs in order to obtain nutritious meat. This trend has developed due to the fact that these animals are very easy to care for. It will be enough to provide them with a comfortable room, which would be protected from drafts, and feed them with quality feed. In our article, we will talk about the types of pigs, as well as what this mammal is.

Description of the animal

A pig is a mammal of the artiodactyl order, which belongs to the non-ruminant suborder and the pig family. Most likely, it got its name due to its excellent fertility, but scientists and breeders are still arguing about this among themselves. According to some, the word "pig" comes from the ancient Latin word "son", which is a transformation of "fruiting" or "birth". There are quite a lot of adherents of this theory, but not until the end.it is clear why pigs began to be called that way.

Don't forget that the first domesticated pigs originated from wild boars. Throughout history, people have always needed he althy and fresh food, and forest hogs were ideally suited to domesticate them. In a short time after the change of habitat conditions, they got used to the person and with great pleasure ate all the food that they were given. Over time, the appearance of animals has undergone quite strong changes, but we will talk about this in the next section.

Pig appearance

Many beginner breeders wonder what a pet pig looks like. Especially for such people, we have compiled a short description of the appearance of a mammal. The photos in the article will help you get the most complete picture of these animals.

So, the pig has a fairly strong physique, as well as an elongated elongated muzzle. The skin of even young individuals is covered with very sparse and short, but coarse hair. At the end of the snout of a pig there is a characteristic feature - a cartilaginous patch in the form of a disk, which is designed to extract various goodies from the ground.

Why is a pig a clean animal?

Have you ever heard that pigs are not at all dirty animals that love to wallow in puddles? They have to do it for quite natural reasons. First, dirthelps to cool the body in hot weather. Secondly, dried pieces fall off the skin along with parasites that cause the animal severe discomfort. Therefore, mud baths have a very practical purpose. Domestic animals have inherited this tactic of behavior from their wild ancestors. In nature, wild boars come out at night in search of food, and during the day they stay in the shade and bathe in the mud, thereby fighting off mosquitoes and cooling the body.

The benefits of pigs in the household

It is worth noting that a pig is a rather large animal, the weight of which can range from 45 to 400 kilograms, depending on the breed. As a rule, mammals are raised for one purpose - to obtain meat. In this matter, they simply have no equal. Huge fertility along with high weight allows for excellent productivity even for a developing farm.

In terms of wildlife, some pigs also live in such conditions. The average life expectancy of such animals can be from 7 to 8 years, which is twice as long as that of domestic varieties. Females behave quite aggressively, trying to protect their offspring. But domestic counterparts of wild sows are more calm in this matter and allow a person to do whatever he wants with piglets.

Types of pigs

Wild animal pig has about 20 different subspecies that can be found in their natural habitat. As for domestic varieties, here the breeders did their best and brought out more than 100different breeds. It is also worth noting that these mammals live on all continents except Antarctica. The most interesting varieties are listed below.

• Babirussa is one of the rarest species of pigs, which is listed in the Red Book. These animals have a somewhat unnatural appearance and are very different from their counterparts. The impressive fangs on the muzzle give them a very intimidating appearance. Habitat - the island of Sulawesi in Indonesia.
• The big forest pig is a fairly large species that grows up to two meters in length. Also, individuals are distinguished by a rather long hairline on the body and pronounced large warts. Habitat - equatorial forests of Africa.
• The bearded pig is a rather unusual species that lives in Southeast Asia. He got his peculiarity thanks to a patch of hair near the tip of his nose, which resembles a human beard. In terms of size, individuals are slightly smaller than ordinary forest boars.

As you can see, there are quite a few different kinds of pigs. What animal to grow at home? Preference should be given to meat breeds bred by breeders for breeding in the household. Almost all of them are equally undemanding to care and have a fairly good immunity to various diseases.

Home breeding pigs

A pig is an animal that can be raised at home without any problems. All it takes is a small barn in which the mammalwill feel comfortable in the winter season, as well as a large variety of feed. Pigs eat quite a lot and often, but they can eat almost any table scraps and cheap feed.

As for the reproduction of pigs, it occurs at the highest possible speed. It will be enough to have one he althy boar on the farm for several dozen sows. Alternatively, you can simply purchase male seminal fluid and inject it into animals using a special catheter.

Conclusion

We hope now you understand who the pig is. Photos of the animal from our article should help novice breeders decide which breed to start breeding at home. Well, if this information seemed not enough for you, then we strongly recommend that you watch a short video in which a professional breeder shares his experience about which meat breeds are the most productive.

As you can see, a pig is a pretty good option for growing at home and starting a business. Caring for an animal is nothing special, so anyone who has the desire to engage in agriculture can organize such a business.