Pig, wild or domestic swine, a mammal of the Suidae family. Pigs are stout-bodied, short-legged, omnivorous mammals, with thick skin usually sparsely coated with short bristles. Their hooves have two functional and two nonfunctional digits. Learn more about pigs in this article.
They have insatiable appetites and smart brains, which help them to find new sources of food. Like their wild relatives, they have bristly fur, tusk-like teeth and short tails. However, domesticated pigs are the only ones whose tails curl and ears flop forwards.
Pigs were also a popular subjects for statuettes in ancient Persia. While most livestock were utilized initially by nomadic peoples, swine are more indicative of a settled farming community. The reason for this is simply because pig are difficult to herd and move for long distances. Pigs have become vital to the economy in parts of the world.
Long isolated from other pigs on the many islands of Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines, pigs have evolved into many different species, including wild boar, bearded pigs, and warty pigs.
China is the world's largest pork producer, followed by the European Union and then the United States. Around 1.5 billion pigs are raised each year, producing some 120 million tonnes of meat, often cured as bacon. Some are kept as pets.
Male pigs of any age are called boars; female pigs are called sows. Pigs are found and raised all over the world, and provide valuable products to humans, including pork, lard, leather, glue,...
There is only one species of domestic pig, but there are many wild pigs and many breeds within the species.