Sus (genus): Difference between revisions
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'''Pigs''' are [[ungulate]]s native |
'''Pigs''' are [[ungulate]]s native (Stephen is a big stupid pig) to [[Eurasia]] collectively grouped under the [[genus]] '''''Sus''''' within the [[Suidae]] family. They have been [[Domestic pig|domesticated]] and raised as [[livestock]] by some peoples for [[meat]] (called [[pork]]) as well as for [[leather]]. Their bristly [[hair]]s are also traditionally used for [[brush]]es. [[Wild]] pigs continue to fill these functions in certain parts of the world. |
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Pigs are [[omnivore]]s, which means that they consume both plants and animals. On a small farm, or in a large household, they can be fed kitchen scraps as part or all of their diet. In the wild, they are foraging animals. Pigs that are allowed to forage may be watched by [[swineherd]]s. Because of their foraging abilities and excellent sense of smell, they are used to find [[truffles]] in many European countries. They are also fattened to be eaten as [[ham]] and other types of meat, such as [[bacon]]. |
Pigs are [[omnivore]]s, which means that they consume both plants and animals. On a small farm, or in a large household, they can be fed kitchen scraps as part or all of their diet. In the wild, they are foraging animals. Pigs that are allowed to forage may be watched by [[swineherd]]s. Because of their foraging abilities and excellent sense of smell, they are used to find [[truffles]] in many European countries. They are also fattened to be eaten as [[ham]] and other types of meat, such as [[bacon]]. |
Revision as of 18:06, 12 October 2006
Pig and piglet | |
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Domestic sow with piglet | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | |
Phylum: | |
Class: | |
Order: | |
Family: | |
Genus: | Sus |
Species | |
Sus barbatus |
Pigs are ungulates native (Stephen is a big stupid pig) to Eurasia collectively grouped under the genus Sus within the Suidae family. They have been domesticated and raised as livestock by some peoples for meat (called pork) as well as for leather. Their bristly hairs are also traditionally used for brushes. Wild pigs continue to fill these functions in certain parts of the world.
Pigs are omnivores, which means that they consume both plants and animals. On a small farm, or in a large household, they can be fed kitchen scraps as part or all of their diet. In the wild, they are foraging animals. Pigs that are allowed to forage may be watched by swineherds. Because of their foraging abilities and excellent sense of smell, they are used to find truffles in many European countries. They are also fattened to be eaten as ham and other types of meat, such as bacon.
Pigs are very smart, therefore, they are highly trainable animals, and some, such as the Asian pot-bellied pig, are kept as pets. A litter of piglets typically contains between 6 and 12 animals. Occasionally, in captivity, pigs may eat their own young.
Pigs do not have effective sweat glands [1], so pigs cool themselves using water or mud during hot weather. They also use mud as a form of sunscreen to protect their skin from sunburn. Mud also provides protection against flies and parasites.
Pig species
- Sus barbatus Bearded Pig; Malaysia, Indonesia
- Sus bucculentus Vietnamese Warty Pig
- Sus cebifrons Visayas Warty Pig
- Sus celebensis Celebes Warty Pig
- Sus daelius Poulter Warty Pig
- Sus heureni Flores Warty Pig
- Sus philippensis Philippine Warty Pig
- Sus salvanius Pigmy Hog; NE India, Himalayas
- Sus scrofa (also called S. domesticus) Domestic pig, razorback, wild boar; Europe, Asia
- Sus timoriensis Timor Warty Pig
- Sus verrucosus Javan pig, Warty Pig; Indonesia, Philippines
- Sus habeoncosus Malaysian pig, Warty Pig
Hybrid swine
Domestic Tamworth Pigs are often crossed with wild boar to create "Iron Age Pigs" that resemble early domestic pigs. The piglets have stripes or blotches like young boar. "Iron Age Pigs" are a common attraction at farm parks. The hybrids are tamer than wild boar, but less tractable than domestic swine and generally become specialist pork sausages. Other domestic breeds of pig have been crossed with wild boar to produce a leaner meat for the specialist meat trade.
Various domestic pigs have been crossed with American wild hogs to produce compact, hairy hog-like hybrids.
In "The Variation Of Animals And Plants Under Domestication" Charles Darwin wrote: The European wild boar and the Chinese domesticated pig are almost certainly specifically distinct: Sir F. Darwin crossed a sow of the latter breed with a wild Alpine boar which had become extremely tame, but the young, though having half-domesticated blood in their veins, were "extremely wild in confinement", and would not eat swill like common English pigs.
Linguistics
This article needs additional citations for verification. |
Etymology
Modern English "pig" probably derives from Old English "*picg", which was found within compound words, the ultimate origin is unknown but Dutch "big" (meaning "young pig") seems to be a cognate. Originally "pig" referred to young pigs only as the word for adults was swine. Another Old English word for "pig" was "fearh", related to "furrow" from the Proto-Indo-European stem "*perk" meaning "dig, furrow" (compare Latin "porcus" meaning "pig") . This reflects a widespread Indo-European tendency to name animals from typical attributes or activities.
- The noise that a pig makes is usually represented as "oink" in the English language but in many different ways in other languages – for instance, chrum (Polish), hunk (Albanian), hulu (Mandarin Chinese), nøff (Norwegian) and so on. See oink for a fuller list.
- Early footballs were originally made from animal bladders, often from pigs. This was the origin of the term pigskins.
- The familiar piggybank got its name and shape as a result of a pun on the word pygg, a type of clay commonly used to produce household items in the 18th Century.
- Pig iron is so named because the molten newly-smelted iron was once poured into molds resembling rows of suckling pigs.
- A type of barrel called a "hog's head" appears often in the writings of Mark Twain.
- A "hogshead" is a large volume of liquid. The term is also a colloquial reference to the gearbox for the "drive" wheels of automobiles,especially for large transport trucks,particularly those used in the Pulpwood industry of the Southeastern United States.
Cultural references to pigs
As an animal living closely with the people pigs were and are frequently referenced in human culture.
Pigs in religion
- In ancient Greece, a sow was an appropriate sacrifice to Demeter and had been her favorite animal since she had been the Great Goddess of archaic times. Initiates at the Eleusinian Mysteries began by sacrificing a pig.
- The pig is one of the 12-year cycle of animals which appear in the Chinese zodiac related to the Chinese calendar. Believers in Chinese astrology associate each animal with certain personality traits. See: Pig (Zodiac).
- The dietary laws of Judaism (Kashrut, adj. Kosher) forbid the eating of flesh of swine or pork in any form, considering the pig to be an unclean animal (see taboo food and drink).
See also
- Wild Boar
- Razorback
- Domestic pig
- Family farm hog pen
- Hog-baiting
- Guinea pig (is a rodent)
- Intensive pig farming
- Razorbacks (mascot for the sports teams of the University of Arkansas, also known as "The Hogs")
- List of fictional pigs
- Pig iron
- Sty
- Pig War
- Fetal pig
- Hogzilla
- Pig Olympics
External links
- National Pork Board's Children's Page
- Alberta Pork informational page (PDF)
- Swine Breeds, with pictures
- Managing pig health
- Information on over 130 pig diseases
- Pig Disease identification software tool
- Lots of piggy photos