Pig Talk
Barrow: male pig that has been neutered
Boar: adult male pig kept for breeding purposes
Farrow: to give birth
Feeder pig: piglet after it’s weaned from the sow, also known as ‘weaner’ pig
Gilt: female pig that has never farrowed
Litter: group of piglets born at one time from the same sow
Market hog: barrow or gilt raised for meat production, weighs up to 250 pounds
Piglet: newborn pig, weighs approximately 1 ½ pounds
Pork producers: the farmers that raise pigs
Runt: smallest piglet in the litter
Sow: adult female pig
Did You Know …
· A sow’s gestation period (pregnancy) is 3 months, 3 weeks and 3 days long.
· The average litter has 9-12 piglets.
· Four common breeds of pig are the Duroc, Hampshire, Landrace and Yorkshire.