PIGS AREN’T BUILT FOR PULLING CARTS or packing loads, nor are they easy to milk. Few jobs exist for swine (though French truffle-sniffing pigs spring to mind), so historically they’ve been raised for a single purpose: to eat.
Be that as it may, in the late 1980s when small swine in the form of Vietnamese Potbellied pigs became available in North America, pigs became pets as well. This hasn’t always been in the pigs’ best interest.
In 1985, Canadian zoo director Keith Connell traveled to Vietnam and brought back 18 pigs of the Í breed, planning to breed and to sell them to other zoos in North America. These black, wrinkly pigs with sagging backs were large by modern potbellied pig standards — some weighed up to 300 pounds (136 kg) — but considerably smaller than North America’s standard domestic pig. In 1986, he sold some stock to American pet breeders and the Potbellied pig craze was on. These pigs and their descendants became known as the Con or Connell line.
At first, pigs sold for thousands of dollars each (one brought $37,000), prompting early breeder Keith Leavitt of Texas to import Mong Cai pigs from northeastern Vietnam near China and the Gulf of Tonkin. His stock became known as the Lea or Leavitt line.
Most of today’s purebred potbellied pigs descend fully or in part from Con and Lea bloodlines, though additional importations, including potbellied pigs from Britain and Sweden, soon followed.
America’s enchantment with potbellied pigs grew by leaps and bounds. Early promoters crowed that potbellied pigs were “the size of a cocker spaniel,” easily potty trained, and flawless house pets. The same promoters cranked out piglets at the rate of three litters per sow per year, with up to six or seven piglets per litter.
At the same time, buyers watched their “35-pound pigs” grow up and up and out. Potbellied pigs don’t stop growing until they’re five or six years old. Teensy $1,500 piglets were maturing into 150- to 200-pound hogs.
Parts of a pig
Worse, owners quickly discovered that pigs are smart and strong-willed, and they live their lives from a pig’s viewpoint. Behaviors that seem perfectly normal to a pig, like rooting (all of the linoleum from the kitchen floor), chewing (interior walls), and nipping to establish a place in the herd (which comprised the humans in their household) upset pig owners very much indeed. Owners who worked through problems with their house pigs loved them; the ones who didn’t began giving them away. Pig sanctuaries sprang up across the country, and humane groups became inundated with unwanted pet pigs, yet promoters kept breeding more piglets because there were still interested new buyers.
According to Dr. Linda Kay Lord in “Survey of Humane Organizations and Slaughter Plants Regarding Experiences with Vietnamese Potbellied Pigs,” published in 1997 in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association (see Resources), at the time there were between 250,000 and 1 million pet pigs in the United States, most of them Vietnamese Potbellied pigs or crosses between these and domestic swine. In a survey of humane organizations in seven states (responders represented 68 percent of the total number of humane groups in the seven-state region), the author was dismayed to discover that over an 18-month period, fully 55 percent were asked to take Potbellied pigs — to the tune of 4,380 requests. Only 72 percent of pigs were accepted, and 21 percent were ultimately euthanized. Furthermore, 485 slaughterhouses responded to her questionnaire and indicated that more than 4,000 potbellied pigs were slaughtered for meat during the same period.
The moral of this story: If you love potbellied pigs, please don’t breed them. And if you breed Kunekunes or any other type of mini pigs, think twice before promoting them as pets. In the right hands, pet pigs shine; in others, they’re a disaster waiting to happen. If you do market piglets to the public, don’t fudge the facts. Make sure buyers know what they’re getting into, and screen every buyer before you sell. Piglets are smart, affectionate creatures that bond deeply with the humans they live and interact with; they deserve better than to be discarded later on.
Ironically, the swaybacked, pug-nosed Vietnamese pig is a vanishing breed in its Southeast Asian homeland. In the early 1990s, while the American Potbellied pig craze was gaining full momentum, the Swedish government provided Vietnamese farmers with large swine to cross with native breeds to boost pork production. At the time there were four breed types developed by natural selection in localized regions of Vietnam.
Í (with arguably the shortest breed name in the world) are the most common unimproved swine in Vietnam. They are fairly large by miniature standards, often tipping the scale at up to 200 pounds (91 kg). Í have little hair and wrinkly black skin with narrow foreheads, dished faces, and small upright ears. They originated in the western part of North Vietnam near the Red River Delta.
The Mong Cai pig, also from North Vietnam, is slightly larger (220 pounds [100 kg]) and hairier than the Í. Mong Cai are usually white with black heads and white snouts and black markings elsewhere on their coats.
The Heo Mai hails from the mountainous regions of South Vietnam and is sometimes called the Vietnamese primitive pig. Heo Mai are smaller than the North Vietnam breeds (90 to 100 pounds [41–45 kg] on average). Heo Mai are exceptionally sway-backed and have longer snouts than the Í.
The Co, once commonly encountered throughout central Vietnam, is another small pig, the largest tipping the scales at 90 pounds (41 kg). Its body is shorter and its back is less swayed than the other types of potbellied pigs.
The Co breed type has largely disappeared since the introduction of production swine from Sweden, and the other types are largely restricted to out-of-the way regions of Vietnam. The good news: In an effort to prevent their extinction, Vietnam’s government now issues subsidies to farmers raising indigenous pigs.
Mong Cai breed
Before getting pigs it’s best to learn to understand them. You can’t outmuscle a pig (even miniature pigs are incredibly strong), so it behooves you to learn how to outthink them. Pigs are intelligent creatures; some studies place their IQ immediately below non-human primates and well above dogs. Researchers teach pigs to play computer games, manipulate food and water devices, and turn fans and radiant heaters on and off. They’re more easily housetrained than many puppies and readily learn to walk on a leash.
Pigs see in color — likely at least green and blue. We know this because their eyes consist of rods and cones with two distinct wavelength sensitivities. They have wide-angle vision and can see roughly 310 degrees around them but they probably cannot focus their eyes. Because of this, pigs often refuse to enter dark places or to cross shadows, door thresholds, or areas where floor colors or textures change. Directing a light to these areas may help. Also, when frightened, they may not watch where they’re going and race full-tilt in to unwitting humans.
Their sense of smell is unusually well developed, as evidenced by the truffle-sniffing pigs of Europe. Pigs detect scent in the wind and probably recognize one another by sight and smell.
Pigs also have an acute sense of hearing, and they hone in on sounds by moving their heads. Loud or unusual sounds tend to frighten them.
They are quite sensitive to touch. Scratch a pig’s back or tummy and it all but melts.
Pigs communicate through a wide range of snorts, grunts, and barks indicating hunger, thirst, alarm, fear, affection, courtship, and more. In scary situations they also emit pheromones to communicate fear. Squealing is a porcine distress signal.
Pigs are omnivores and relish a wide variety of vegetable and animal foods, including carrion. They have been known to snack on neonatal lambs and kids, so they shouldn’t be kept with other stock at birthing time. They find certain tastes in particular appealing — in one university study their food of choice was apples.
Pigs are gregarious and, unless raised in a single-pig household, prefer the company of other pigs. Apart from dominance issues, they are gentle and affectionate toward others in their group (including humans).
Normal pigs alternate between wakefulness and sleeping for about 12 out of 24 hours and are drowsy or completely asleep for the other 12 hours.
Pigs more readily approach a person who is sitting, squatting, or kneeling than one who is standing up.
When holding piglets, restrain them as you would a dog; never hold them upside down by their hind legs — this can hurt them.
Pigs have very little herding instinct. It’s infinitely easier to lead them with a bucket of food than to drive them.
Pigs foam at the mouth when challenging another pig or a human.
In wild pigs, a family group (known as a sounder instead of a herd) consists of several females and their offspring. Males live a solitary existence or in bachelor groups.
Pigs, both wild and domestic, are organized by one of two social orders: teat order and dominance hierarchy or pecking order.
Teat Order. Within a week after birth, piglets select and begin defending their position at their dam’s udder. Stronger, more aggressive piglets claim teats closer to their mother’s forequarters, as these teats secrete the most milk.
Pecking Order. Once weaned, littermates squabble to establish a dominance hierarchy among themselves and with any other piglets placed in their midst. Fighting consists of head butting, neck biting, shoulder slamming, and foaming at the mouth. Within 24 hours, most battling ceases and piglets accept their place in the pecking order — at least until newcomers are added to the mix. Once dominance is established between two individuals, subsequent encounters usually consist of only grunts and threatening postures.
Piglets are born unable to regulate their own temperature, so they huddle close to their mother and littermates to help them survive. Pigs that are kept in housing outdoors burrow into their bedding for the same reason.
Pigs eliminate up to 5 pounds (2.3 kg) of soft but formed feces per day, but they will neither urinate nor defecate near their sleeping and eating areas. Piglets learn potty manners from their dams. Pigs also avoid toys, feeders, and other items soiled with manure. They want to be clean.
Because they lack adequate sweat glands to release warm moisture and cool themselves, pigs seek shade and wallow in water or mud to cool down. They instinctively dig wallows; if you don’t want yours to dig one, provide a children’s wading pool in its stead.
Pigs are hardwired to root — that’s what their nose disks are for. Some breeds root more than others, but all pigs root to some degree. Unsupervised house pet pigs destroy carpeting and linoleum; outdoor pigs dig in the lawn. Pig producers sometimes “ring” pigs by inserting metal rings in the sides or centers of their nose disks, but rings hurt and frustrate the pig, so this is not recommended.
In addition to rooting in the earth, pigs quickly raise their heads in a rooting motion guaranteed to tip over feeders, water receptacles, and sometimes human bystanders. Be forewarned.
BEFORE YOU GET A PIG
Check into local zoning ordinances before buying or adopting a pig, especially if you live in town. Most municipalities — large and small — have Potbellied pig ordinances of one kind or another. In some cases, pet pigs are classified as livestock and simply can’t be kept; in others, you may have to comply with a long list of regulations. These regulations from Chapter 8.19 of the Riverside Municipal Code in California are typical.
According to the municipal code, a Potbellied pig is defined as “a domesticated miniature Vietnamese, Chinese or Asian pot-bellied or pot-belly pig not exceeding one hundred twenty-five pounds in weight and eighteen inches measured at the shoulder.” Only two such animals can be kept on any single family residentially zoned property. All pigs must be:
Licensed on an annual basis
Spayed or neutered
Detusked
Provided with a fenced yard and maintained in a safe, clean, odor-free manner when kept outdoors
Restrained by a harness and leash or similar restraint not longer than six feet and held by a competent person while on a street, sidewalk, or other public place
Guinea Hogs and Ossabaw Island Hogs are ideal breeds for niche-marketed pork production, and at this writing, there’s a fine market for Kunekune pet pigs. Opportunities are out there. If you’d like to raise pigs, here’s what you need to know.
Before buying miniature pigs, home in on your needs. What a pork producer requires may be irrelevant to pet producers and vice versa.
Pork producers require stock adapted to their rearing systems. For instance, someone who plans to pasture raise Guinea Hogs should try to buy stock from someone who is already doing that. Pork producers need productive, meaty breeding stock that gains well on the type of feeds available in their locale. Pet breeders need stock with good dispositions and that breed true; no one wants to buy a prospective house piglet and have it grow to immense size.
Color and breed type aren’t important when lean pork is the end product, but they’re very important to someone marketing pet pigs. And if you plan to sell pigs as breeding stock, begin with registered pigs; without registration papers, many potential buyers will pass.
No matter what type of pigs you raise, always start out with healthy animals and keep them that way. Whether raised for meat or as pets, no one will buy diseased pigs.
Can miniature pigs make great house pets? Yes, indeed. Join a YahooGroup like Pig Info and Chat or Pot Spot to see how many families have miniature pigs living in their homes. That said, keeping a pig in the house is not for the faint of heart. Before deciding to keep one, we suggest you download a free copy of The Shelter Worker’s Guide to Pigs from the PIGS, A Sanctuary Web site (see Resources), then decide if a house pig sounds right for you. If it does, I recommend reading The Complete Guide for the Care and Training of Pet Potbellied Pigs by Kathleen Myers (see Resources). Even if your piglet is a Kunekune or any other mini pig breed, read it — you’ll be glad you did.
According to The Shelter Worker’s Guide to Pigs, common problems associated with keeping pigs in the house full time include their rooting up floor coverings, destroying walls (pigs love drywall), overturning furniture and potted plants, opening refrigerators and cabinets, and urinating or defecating outside the litter box. These problems can be surmounted by pig-proofing the home (removing items the pig might destroy) and supervising the pig when it’s loose in the house.
However, the publication continues, aggressive behavior is intensified when a pig is housed indoors full time, especially in single-pig households, because it’s difficult for the pig to establish a hierarchal structure in a one-pig home. It may head-swipe, charge, and bite humans the way it would engage with a herd of its peers. This, too, is surmountable but requires understanding and diligence on the part of everyone who comes in contact with the pig. Remember: Once dominance is established, hostilities cease — but the humans must emerge as top pigs.
A better solution is to allow your house pig to spend part of its time outdoors, or keep it outdoors the entire time. Having two pigs also helps (they can establish hierarchy between them). If keeping a full-time outdoor pig, you must prevent loneliness.
Outdoor pets can be kept in existing buildings, horse stalls, Port-A-Huts (see Resources), or medium-size or larger dog houses and plastic Dogloos. Port-A-Huts and dog houses should face away from the wind, and in cold climates, they should be fitted with a flap to keep out inclement weather. Housing must be draft-free and should be filled with a deep bedding of old blankets, hay, or straw.
Fencing for pig pens must be stout and firmly secured to fence posts set deep in the ground. Hog panels are a good solution, and when used in conjunction with wooden fence posts and a nice gate, they are neat enough for most any setting.
Don’t feed farm pig feed, dog kibble, or table scraps to pet pig breeds like Potbellied pigs or Kunekunes. Buy feed formulated specifically for miniatures (most large pet stores carry it). It’s not terribly expensive, and an adult Potbellied pig requires only two to three cups per day.
Pigs don’t have to live in a mansion. Give them a dry, draft-free shed, and they’ll be fine.
Pigs naturally love treats, but don’t overdo it. A small handful of fruit or Cheerios works well. And though they repeatedly tip their water containers over until it drives you silly, make certain pigs have access to clean water at all times.
Ask your vet which vaccinations are necessary in your locale and how frequently your pigs should be wormed.
Pigs have naturally runny eyes, and a waxy buildup tends to form in their ears. Clean runny eyes with warm water and a washcloth and waxy ears with a dry washcloth or paper towels.
All pet pigs, with no exceptions, should be neutered or spayed. Boars emit a strong, offensive odor, and they’re generally only interested in eating and breeding. If they can’t find a female in heat, they’ll attempt to mate with rocks, logs, blankets, and even human legs. Unless detusked, they can do considerable damage with their strong jaws. You definitely don’t want a pet boar.
And the typical unspayed female becomes quite erratic during her heat cycle, which occurs every 17 to 25 days year-round. Some become more loving, but others become aggressive and tend to bite.
The breeding of pets such as Kunekunes and of pork-producing pigs such as Guinea Hogs and Ossabaw Island Hogs is in many ways radically different, yet some things are much the same. Here are some of the things to consider when producing either type.
A sow’s estrous cycle averages 21 days but can range from 18 to 23 days. During most of this cycle, follicles are developing on the sow’s ovaries; each ovulates a single egg. As the time of standing heat approaches, these follicles grow larger and begin releasing estrogen; this causes the sow to display signs of heat.
When she is fully receptive, a sow stands still when pressure is applied to her back. Other signs of heat include riding other pigs, fence walking, vocalizing, and increased swelling and redness of her vulva. Standing heat lasts three to four days for sows but only one or two days for gilts. Gilts begin cycling around five to six months of age, but it’s best to delay breeding until their second or third heat.
Sow’s reproductive system
Boars are attentive toward sows and gilts in heat. They sniff females’ vulvas, nuzzle their flanks, and attempt to mount. Matings take 5 to 10 minutes from start to finish. If both the female and the male are healthy and the male isn’t overused (a boar should generally breed no more than five sows per week), conception is likely to occur.
As mentioned above, gestation lasts 113 to 116 days. Reducing stress is important during the first two months of this gestation time frame because stress has been implicated in early fetal death; non-stressed sows and gilts deliver more pigs.
Sows and gilts can be housed individually or in groups. They require roughly 14 percent crude protein feed throughout gestation, and the amounts should be adjusted so that the pigs are neither thin nor obese when they farrow. Beginning about a week prior to farrowing, their diet should incorporate bulky feed such as oats, barley, or hay to prevent them from becoming constipated. Clean, fresh water should be available at all times.
About two weeks before farrowing, deworm each sow and treat her for external parasites. A week before her due date, move her to her farrowing quarters (perhaps a farrowing pen for production hogs or an empty stall in the barn for pet pigs). Reduce her feed for about two days prior to farrowing.
PRE-FARROWING BEHAVIOR
Watch for these signs as your sow’s farrowing date approaches:
Teats enlarge and become firmer up to 10 days prior to farrowing. During the same time period the sow’s vulva will begin to swell.
About 2 days before her delivery, the sow’s teats become turgid and, if checked, they secrete clear fluid.
Twelve to 24 hours before farrowing, the sow will begin to secrete milk. At the same time she’s likely to become restless — frequently getting up and lying down, pawing, rooting the floor — and she will attempt to build a nest using any available materials.
About 6 hours before farrowing she will come into full milk.
Between 30 minutes and 4 hours before giving birth, the sow will begin breathing heavily. Fifteen minutes to an hour before farrowing she’ll quiet down and lie on her side, then begin straining. She may pass blood-tinged, oily fluid and meconium (fecal material from her unborn pigs) before the first piglet appears.
After furrowing she will be famished. Switch her to a 16 percent protein diet, remove the bulky items from her feed, and provide copious amounts of clean drinking water.
In a normal farrowing, about half of the piglets are born headfirst and the other half hind feet first. They are usually born about 15 minutes apart. Total delivery time varies according to litter size, but most deliveries of miniature pigs require less than 2H hours. The placenta should be delivered within two hours of the final piglet’s birth.
If gestation exceeds 116 days, and if the sow is drastically off-feed prior to farrowing, anticipate problems. If the sow strains hard without delivering pigs, or if the time between the delivery of two piglets exceeds one hour and the sow still has a full abdomen, something is wrong.
If you have to assist, follow the protocols in chapter 11, keeping these extra points in mind: a sow’s uterus slopes downward and then divides into two horns, both of which might contain piglets. To pull a forward-facing piglet, grasp both front legs and pull, or place your hand in its mouth and pull on its lower jaw. To pull a pig in hind-feet-first position, grasp both hind legs and pull. Pull the piglet all the way out, and make certain it’s breathing before going back in for another pig.
As each piglet is born, make sure its nostrils and mouth are free of mucus so it can breathe. If the broken umbilical cord is more than 2 inches long (measured from the piglet’s abdomen), trim it to 2 inches in length. Dip the cord in iodine, dry the piglet with a towel, and place it in a bedded basket under a heat lamp where the sow can see it.
After farrowing is completed and piglets are returned to the sow, the sow will grunt softly and offer her udder to the piglets to nurse. Within the first day or two, each piglet will select its own nipple and return to it whenever feeding. A sow quickly settles into a nursing routine. She feeds her piglets at roughly two-hour intervals, inviting them to nurse by rolling onto her side and grunting softly. Each piglet rushes to its feeding station and nuzzles the sow’s udder, which triggers milk letdown, and the piglets nurse.
Neonatal piglets are extremely cold sensitive and require temperatures near 90°F (32°C) to survive, whereas sows prefer temperatures in the 65 to 70°F (18–21°C) range. To provide heat for the newborns (and a place where they can snooze without being accidentally crushed by their mother), block off a section of the farrowing pen so that only the piglets can enter, and hang a heat lamp over it so they can stay warm. A fallen heat lamp can burn down your barn; make certain you hang yours correctly. Hang it very securely and at a distance from any combustible material (don’t place bedding directly below or near the heat lamp). Ideally, piglets will lie scattered around or under the lamp; if they pile up under it, they are too cold and you should move the lamp a little closer to them.
Piglets need the warmth of a heat lamp to survive, but hang it correctly so it doesn’t fall and burn down your barn.
Sometimes sow’s milk doesn’t contain enough iron for baby pigs, so three or four days after piglets are born, many producers routinely inject them with supplemental iron. Discuss this with your vet.
Many pork producers use side cutters to clip off piglets’ needle teeth to prevent them from injuring one another or tearing their mother’s teats; others feel it’s totally unnecessary. If you do it, it should be done when the piglets are a day old.
Pork producers generally introduce solids at about one week of age, beginning with 20 percent protein pig prestarter and then switching to 18 percent protein starter once they’re readily eating. This should be placed in a shallow pan in the piglets’ sleeping area where their mother can’t reach it. Discard old feed once a day and replace it with new stuff.
Piglets are prone to scours, which can quickly lead to dehydration and death. If you don’t know the cause (and there are several), consult your vet without delay so you can treat it correctly.
Piglets are usually weaned at four to six weeks of age. The best way to accomplish this is to remove the sow from the farrowing pen, leaving the piglets in familiar quarters. Fresh feed and clean water should be available at all times. Optimal sleeping area temperature for four-week-old pigs is 80 to 92°F (27–33°C).
Miniature pigs fall into one of three categories: pet pigs, laboratory mini pigs, and heritage hogs for pastured pork production. Potbellies and Kunekunes are pet pigs; Ossabaw Island and Guinea Hogs are production pigs. However, some people do keep Guinea Hogs as pets because they are so docile. All four breeds are naturally small pigs; none are man-made miniatures.
Registered by: American Guinea Hog Association
Use: Meat and occasionally pets
Origin: Some authorities believe they descend from bristly haired, sandy-red swine called Red Guineas that slave traders carried from West Africa and the Canary Islands to America
Size: 150–300 pounds (68–136 kg); 22–27 inches (56–69 cm) tall; 46–56 inches 117–142 cm) long, measured from between the ears to the base of the tail
Color: Black or bluish black, sometimes with a touch of white on the nose and feet
Ears: Medium-size and erect
Facial characteristics: Short to medium in length, with a broad snout and slightly dished profile
Body characteristics: Straight to slightly arched back; from the side they present a long, rectangular appearance
Tail: One curl
Coat: Medium to long, coarse, and bristly
Today’s Guinea Hogs descend from small, hairy, black hogs kept on homesteads throughout the southeastern United States in the 1800s and well into the early twentieth century. Historical names for these ancestors included Acorn Eaters, Yard Pigs, Pineywoods Guineas, and Guinea Forest Hogs. Some had long noses, others short; they were variously described as small-, medium-, or large-framed; and they ranged in size from 100 to 300 pounds. Other traits they had in common with today’s Guinea Hogs included the ability to fend for themselves, producing meat and lard with minimal human input.
Guinea Hogs have calm, friendly temperaments. They are minimal rooters and do well on grass; they tend toward obesity if overgrained. The Guinea Hog is an ideal heritage breed for pastured pork production.
There are fewer than 200 purebred Guinea Hogs in the world today, and they’re listed as Critically Endangered on the Conservation Priority List of the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy (ALBC). They excel at homestead chores such as tilling the garden and ridding the place of pests such as snakes and rodents; they produce tasty cuts of succulent pork; and because of their size and easygoing nature, they make fine pets as well.
Guinea Hog
Registered by: American Kunekune Breeders Association
Use: Pet
Origin: New Zealand
Size: According to the British breed standard, 120–240 pounds (54–109 kg), 24–30 inches (61–76 cm) tall
Color: Cream, ginger, brown, black, and spotted
Ears: Erect or flopped and inclining forward
Facial characteristics: Broad face, short to medium-length snout, slightly dished profile
Body characteristics: Most Kunekunes have a pair of wattles, also called tassels or piri piri, under their chin. They have level or slightly arched backs, short legs, and a nicely rounded body.
Tail: One curl
Coat: Completely covered with hair ranging from short and straight to long and curly
Kunekune (pronounced cooney cooney) roughly translated means “chubby” in Maori. Swine are not indigenous to New Zealand, and how they arrived there is open to conjecture, but they were an integral part of native Maori culture for many years. Kunekunes were nearly extinct by the 1970s when two wildlife park owners, Michael Willis and John Simster, heard about them and set out across New Zealand to buy some. They were only able to find 18 pigs in all of New Zealand. From these pigs, which were later mixed with additional stock, the New Zealand studbook was formed.
Kunekune
Kunekunes are grazers and easy keepers, requiring little or no grain in their diets. Though the Maori certainly ate them, today’s Kunekunes are primarily pet pigs. They are friendly, intelligent, and easygoing.
Registered by: Ossabaw Island Hog Registry (maintained by the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy)
Use: Meat
Origin: Descended from Spanish pigs placed on Ossabaw Island by Spanish sailors, possibly as early as the 1500s
Size: 100–250 pounds (54–113 kg)
Color: Black, black with white spots, white with black spots; often has a reddish tinge
Ears: Small, upright
Facial characteristics: Long snout, slightly dished
Body characteristics: Heavy shoulders and head, relatively lightweight hindquarters
Tail: One curl
Coat: Very hairy with heavy bristles on the head, neck, and topline
Ossabaw Island Hog
WILD BOARS ARE A VIABLE OPTION
Pork raisers who are looking for a unique pig-raising experience and who live in states that allow the keeping of feral hogs should consider the European Wild Boar. Raised mainly for niche marketed meat and trophy hunts, if kindly raised from infancy onward they can also make fine, unusual pets. My own pet pig, Carlotta, is a crossbred from a European Wild Boar and an Ossabaw Island Hog. She’s a gentle, good-natured outdoor pet pig.
The term wild boar applies to the entire species, not just the males. Their average weight is 200–500 pounds (91–227 kg), though individuals, especially males, can be considerably heavier. They have compact bodies with very long snouts, upright ears, large heads, small hips, and fairly short legs. Colors range from dark gray to black or brown, all with grizzled overtones. Both sexes have impressive tusks; boars’ tusks may be up to 7 inches (18 cm) long with 4 inches (10 cm) or more protruding from their mouths. Wild Boar sows produce small litters of three or four pigs on average; the piglets are soft brown with darker horizontal stripes. Wild Boars are the ancestors of today’s domestic pigs.
Wild Boar
Ossabaw Island pigs are classified as feral hogs, having evolved as an isolated population on Ossabaw Island off the coast of Georgia. They are hardy, efficient grazers that are ideal for pastured pork production. Beautifully fat-marbled Ossabaw Island pork is firm-textured, succulent, and tasty. Ossabaw hogs are larger in the shoulder area than conventional pigs, so they yield more roasts and chops.
The population of pigs today on Ossabaw Island has been pared to a bare minimum to avoid erosion of the island’s natural resources. And because of quarantine restrictions, it’s impossible to import stock directly from the island. Although scarce (like the Guinea Hog, there are only about 200 purebred domesticated Ossabaw Island pigs in the world and they are listed as Critically Endangered on the ALBC Conservation Priority List), stock descended from pigs taken from the island in the 1970s can be found. The breed needs dedicated conservators, but be sure to check your state’s feral pig statutes before buying Ossabaw Island Hogs, as many states prohibit the keeping of feral pigs.
Registered by: North American Potbellied Pig Association, National Potbellied Pig Registry
Use: Pet
Origin: Vietnam
Size (ideal according to the National Potbellied Pig Registry): 100–125 pounds (45–57 kg); 16 inches (41 cm) tall at three years of age
Color: Black, white, black and white, silver, red, or spotted
Ears: Small, erect
Facial characteristics: Short to medium in length; dished; often deeply wrinkled
Body characteristics: Pronounced potbelly, swayed back, short legs; skin may or may not be wrinkled
Tail: Straight
Coat: Sparse
Potbellied pig
Potbellies are the quintessential pet pig, and they make very good ones. They’re intelligent, affectionate, and cute. They have, however, been bred indiscriminately for so long that buyers are often disappointed when they mature into much larger sizes than expected.
The best solution for all concerned is to adopt from a bona fide Potbellied pig rescue that cares about its pigs and works to make placements that last. The people there will help you find a pig or piglet perfect for your purposes, and you’ll help save a life by clearing a space at the rescue for another pig that might otherwise not have had the chance to find a good home.
If you’d prefer to buy a Potbellied piglet (and these tips apply when buying Kunekunes and pet Guinea Hogs, too), choose wisely.
Buy a registered pig from a professional breeder. Unregistered pigs from backyard litters may not be purebred Potbellied pigs, and piglets with full-size pigs in their background aren’t likely to stay small. If you buy an unregistered piglet, look at its tail. Potbellies have straight tails. A curved or curly tail indicates non-Potbellied breeding.
Ask for references before you view potential piglets.
Don’t buy a pig in a poke. Visit the breeder and look at his or her breeding stock. The height of the parents will give you an indication of the height of the purebred piglets. Make sure the parents are at least four years old if you’re using them to calculate their offspring’s size.
When size matters, get a written guarantee. Make certain it spells out precisely what the breeder will do if the piglet grows too tall. Refund your money? Replace it with another piglet? Will you have to return your pig? Watch out for clauses that void the guarantee if you “overfeed” your pig. Excess feed triggers obesity but won’t alter an animal’s genetic background, and that’s what determines height.
Look over the piglets very carefully. They should be bright-eyed and lively and have soft, supple skin. Properly fed Potbellied piglets have nicely rounded hindquarters and bellies, with a modicum of jowl at the neckline. Some sellers starve piglets to make them seem smaller to potential buyers. This is cruel and unnecessary. When these piglets begin eating a proper diet, they’ll mature to their true genetic size.
Ask what the piglet and its parents have been tested for and expect written documentation. Be aware that it’s illegal to cross state lines with pigs that haven’t been tested for pseudorabies and brucellosis. Don’t risk having your piglet confiscated!