Skip to content

1-800-364-7231

Monday – Friday: 9am to 5pm MST

wmlc-logo
  • Menu iconHome
  • Menu iconCompany
    • wmlc-logo

      Who we are

      Learn more about us

      Team

      Meet our Team

      Testimonials

      What our customers say

      Ready to get started?

      See what is available

      Shop Now
    • Who we are
    • Our Team
    • Testimonials
  • Menu iconNews
  • Ranch Manager
    • Desktop Updates
    • iOS Updates
      • iOS Version 1.1.21
  • Shop
    • Shop
    • My Account
    • Login
    • Terms & conditions
    • Cart
    • Checkout
  • Support
    • FAQ
      • General FAQGeneral Frequently Asked Questions
      • Setup and Installation FAQRanch Manager Setup and Installation FAQ
      • Using the Desktop SoftwareFAQ on how to use the desktop version of Ranch Manager
      • Using the iOS SoftwareFAQ Regarding the usage of the RM Mobile App for iOS Devices
      • RM CloudRanch Manager Cloud FAQ
    • My Tickets
    • Create Ticket
  • Menu iconContact
  • More
    • Blog
      • Chickens/Ducks
      • Equine
        • Canker
        • General Information
        • Health
      • Ranch
        • Gardening
        • Set up
      • Swine
        • Choosing a Replacement Gilt
        • Farrowing
        • General Info & Tips
    • Terms & conditions
    • Cookie policy
    • Returns & Refund Policy
Cart $0.00
  • 0 Jan 2019
  • General Info & Tips

Pigs, Hogs & Boars: Facts About Swine

Pigs are mammals with stocky bodies, flat snouts that can move independently of their heads, small eyes and large ears. They are also highly intelligent, social animals, and are found all over the world.

Pigs are in the Suidae family, which includes eight genera and 16 species. Among those species are wild boars, warthogs, and pygmy hogs, and domestic pigs. Pig, hog and boar essentially describe the same animal, but there are some distinctions. For instance, a boar is an un-castrated male domestic pig, but, it also means a wild pig of any gender. A hog often means a domestic pig that weighs more than 120 lbs.

Pigs were among the first animals to be domesticated about 9,000 years ago in china and in a region in what is now turkey. Asian farmers first brought domesticated pigs to Europe around 7,500 years ago, according to the Smithsonian Magazine.

Domestic pigs are descended mostly from the wild boar (Sus scrofa) and the Sulawesi warty pig (Sus celebensis). They diverged from their closes ancestors about 500,000 years ago according to the Encyclopedia of Life. Today, there are an estimated 2 billion domesticated pigs on the planet, mostly classified as a subspecies of wild boars.

Size

Pigs usually weigh between 300 and 700 lbs, but domestic pigs are often bred to be heavier. In 2012 a hog named Reggie set a weight record of 1,335 lbs in the Iowa state Fair’s ‘biggest Boar” contest, Radio Iowa reported.

But even massive Reggie is outweighed by the largest domestic pig of all time. That title goes to a porker named Big Norm of Hubbardsville, New York. Big Norm topped the scales at a whopping 1,600 lbs. when he died in 2009, according to the Syracuse Post-Standard.

Wild pigs vary greatly in size and weight. The largest boar is the giant forest hog which is native to more than a dozen countries across Africa. It grows up to 6.9 feet long and measures 3.6 feet tall, according to the Encyclopedia of Life. Although, it is rarely seen, video of the elusive beast was captured in June 2018 by ecologists in Uganda, National Geographic reported.

The heaviest boar is the Eurasian wild pig, which grows to 710 lbs. And the smallest boar is the pygmy hog. This delicate swine grows to a length between 1.8 and 2.4 feet and stands 9.8 inches tall from hoof to shoulder. The pygmy hog only weighs 14.5 to 21 lbs., according to the San Diego Zoo.

Habitat

Boars, pigs and hogs live all over the world, except for Antarctica, northern Africa, and far norther Eurasia, according to the Encyclopedia of Life. For example, red river hogs, also called bush pigs, are found in Africa. Babirusas, or pig deer, are found in Indonesia; and Visayan warty pigs come from the Philippines.

Wild pigs typically live in grasslands, wetlands, rain forests, savannas, scrub lands and temperate forests. All Pigs wallow in mud whenever they have the chance because it helps them to regulate their body temperature and discourages parasites.

Habits

Pigs are very intelligent animals. According to a review published in 2015 in the International Journal of Comparative Psychology, pigs are “cognitively complex,” sharing many traits with animals that are typically considered to be highly intelligent. The review analyzed findings from a number of studies, suggesting that pigs were capable of remembering objects, perceiving time, and making use of learned information to navigate their environment. Pigs are also very playful and have a wide range of play behaviors. This is another indication of intelligence in animals, the researchers reported.

They are also very social. Feral pigs often travel in close-knit groups called sounders, which typically consist of two females and their young, according to Texas Parks and Wildlife.

Pigs communicate with a variety of grunts and squeaks. A short grunt, a longer growl, and a loud roar will warn other pigs of approaching danger, according to the San Diego Zoo. The pigs’ primary defense is speed, but when cornered, their tusks can be formidable weapons. Their lower tusks can get to be about 3 inches long and are razor sharp.

Diet

Pigs, boars and hogs are omnivores and will eat just about anything. Wild boars eat roots, fruit, rodents, and small reptiles, National Geographic reported. Domestic pigs and hogs are fed feed that is made from corn, wheat, soy or barley. However, often on small farms, pigs are often fed “slop”, which consists of vegetable peels, fruit rinds and other leftover food items. Most species of pigs process plants in their hind-guts; and because their digestion of cellulose is inefficient, requiring them to feed often, according to the Encyclopedia of Life.

Offspring

Female pigs, called cows or sows, give birth to offspring twice a year to a litter of around 12 young. Baby pigs are called piglets. At birth, piglets weigh around 2.5 lbs, according to National Geographic. Within a week, most piglets will double their weight. Therefore, they are weaned when they are two to four weeks old.

Wild pigs can give birth to six to 14 piglets at a time. These piglets will stay in a nest for their first 10 days and are weaned after three months. Wild pigs live five to 20 years.

Conservation Status

Wild boars are not endangered, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List of Threatened Species. They are listed as “least concern” due to the wild pig’s “wide range, abundance, tolerance to habitat disturbance and presence in many protected areas.”

Sulawesi warty pigs are listed as “near threatened”; bearded pigs, Palawan bearded pigs and Philippine warty pigs are “vulnerable”; Javan warty pigs are “endangered”; and Visayan warty pigs are “critically endangered”. Hunting and habitat loss are cited as the causes of declining populations in these species.

I hope you enjoyed this article. If you did please share it to your favorite social media platforms. You can also watch one of our YouTube videos with even more facts about pigs below.

About Author

Joshua

Josh grew up with a passion for animals and technology. After years of self-learning, he finally enrolled in college and graduated with a BSIT in 2010. After working in multiple IT roles, he moved to Northern Arizona and started White Mountains Livestock Company. Utilizing the knowledge he had gained as a child and his passion for animals he steadily increased his herds. In 2020 while looking for a program to manage the company’s swine breeding program he came across Ranch Manager. After many conversations the company acquired the software later that same year. Since then, he has focused on improving the software using new technologies to help people manage their own herds with the newest technologies and features.

See author's posts

Spread the love
            
Share this post:
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
WhatsApp

From the same category:

pigs-love-mud-thumbnail
Why Do Pigs Like Mud?
General Info & TipsJune 28, 2019
Is Organic Meat Really Better for you?
General Info & TipsMay 15, 2019
2018 Pork Industry Infographic
General Info & TipsFebruary 12, 2019
Pig-Rooting
Why Do Pigs Root?
General Info & TipsJanuary 25, 2019
Pig-Nose-Ring
Why Do Pigs Have Nose Rings?
General Info & TipsJanuary 24, 2019
Happy-Pig
What are the Benefits of Raising Pigs?
General Info & TipsJanuary 23, 2019

More articles

grain_fed_vs_grass_fed_beef
Grass-Fed vs. Grain-Fed Beef: Which is Better for Ranchers and Consumers?
Beef, CattleMarch 2, 2025
Bird Flue Image
The Bird Flu Crisis: How It’s Affecting Farms, Food Prices, and More
Chickens/Ducks, Industry newsMarch 1, 2025
Ranch Manager v3.2.8
Desktop UpdatesMarch 9, 2023
Ranch Manager v3.2.6
Desktop UpdatesMarch 3, 2023
Ranch Manager v3.2.5
Desktop UpdatesFebruary 28, 2023
Ranch Manager v3.2.4
Desktop UpdatesFebruary 20, 2023
Desktop UpdatesFebruary 13, 2023
White Mountains Livestock Shuts Down Pork Production.
Company newsApril 6, 2022
White Mountains Livestock Company LLC Earns BBB Accreditation
Company newsJune 11, 2021
sow
Choosing a Replacement Gilt – Reproductive Soundness
Choosing a Replacement GiltDecember 17, 2020
rm-cloud
Win A FREE Year of RM Cloud!
Company newsAugust 11, 2020
swine-feet
Choosing a Replacement Gilt – Feet Evaluation
Choosing a Replacement GiltSeptember 30, 2019
wmlc-logo
White Mountains Livestock Company LLC BBB Business Review

Useful links

  • Cookie policy
  • Terms & conditions
  • Returns & Refund Policy

Contact info

+1 (800) 364-7231

info@whitemountainslivestock.com

Snowflake, Arizona

Newsletter signup

Sign up to our monthly newsletter for useful articles, tips and tricks.

© 2023 White Mountains Livestock Company LLC. All rights reserved.
Go to Top
Loading...

Menu

  • Menu iconHome
  • Menu iconCompany
    • Who we are
    • Our Team
    • Testimonials
  • Menu iconNews
  • Ranch Manager
    • Desktop Updates
    • iOS Updates
      • iOS Version 1.1.21
  • Shop
    • Shop
    • My Account
    • Login
    • Terms & conditions
    • Cart
    • Checkout
  • Support
    • FAQ
      • General FAQGeneral Frequently Asked Questions
      • Setup and Installation FAQRanch Manager Setup and Installation FAQ
      • Using the Desktop SoftwareFAQ on how to use the desktop version of Ranch Manager
      • Using the iOS SoftwareFAQ Regarding the usage of the RM Mobile App for iOS Devices
      • RM CloudRanch Manager Cloud FAQ
    • My Tickets
    • Create Ticket
  • Menu iconContact
  • More
    • Blog
      • Chickens/Ducks
      • Equine
        • Canker
        • General Information
        • Health
      • Ranch
        • Gardening
        • Set up
      • Swine
        • Choosing a Replacement Gilt
        • Farrowing
        • General Info & Tips
    • Terms & conditions
    • Cookie policy
    • Returns & Refund Policy

Login To White Mountains Livestock Company

We are here to help you care for your livestock.

Lost your password? | Register

Shopping cart

Your cart is empty
Browse products
Subtotal
View cart
Checkout

Insert/edit link

Enter the destination URL

Or link to existing content

    No search term specified. Showing recent items. Search or use up and down arrow keys to select an item.