National Pig Day

Hello everyone! My name is Heidi, and I’m BSM’s Business Development Manager. I’m also a lover of pigs and a mom to two adorable mini pigs, Dolly and Scarlett. I wanted to take time to celebrate all things pigs on March 1^st in observance of National Pig Day. Pigs are incredible animals and deserve recognition. No longer are pigs just as seen as livestock for meat products, but now they have come to be welcomed into many homes as beloved pets. So, let’s dig into some fun things about pigs!

History of Pigs in The United States

According to historical records, pigs hit the shores of the United States when Hernando de Soto brought the first 13 pigs by ship. De Soto landed in Tampa Bay, FL, in 1539 and has been dubbed “the father of the American pork industry”. Pork became popular with the Native tribes in the area, and the original herd of pigs grew quickly to 700 head over the next few years. Hernando Cortez also brought pigs to the New Mexico area in 1600. Some of these original pigs are the ancestors of modern-day feral pigs.

A fun fact about Wall Street in New York is that it came by its name due to pigs. By the early 1600s, the population of semi-wild pigs in the Manhattan area had grown rapidly and was leading to damage to farm fields in the area. Thus, the solution came to construct a long, solid wall on the northern side of the colony to help reduce and control the pig population. This area later became known as the modern-day Wall Street due to the construction of this wall.⁵

Over the next several years, pig production continued to grow throughout the country. Settlers traveling west brought pigs along on their prairie schooners as a food source for their journey. This led to the spread of pork production into the western portions of the United States. Packing plants also began to spring up in major cities around the country to support the growing need for increased processing of pork.⁵

Breeds of Pigs

There are several breeds of pigs raised in the United States. Some of the major pig breeds for pork production are Berkshire, Chester White, Duroc, Hampshire, Landrace, Poland, China, Spotted Swine, and Yorkshire. ³ These larger breeds of pigs are what are commonly referred to as farm hogs, and this is by no means a complete list of all the breeds that are out there being raised. These breeds of pigs usually weigh anywhere between 300-1,000 lbs., depending on the breed.

Not all pigs are bred for meat purposes and in fact, pigs have become a popular pet in recent years. Smaller breeds of pigs include the commonly known American Mini, Pot-Bellied, Kunekune, and Juliana Pig.⁴ These breeds of pigs range in weight from approximately 70-300 lbs.³ Breeds of pigs of this smaller size fit into a general category termed Mini Pig because, in comparison to their larger relatives, they are quite mini.

Fun Pig Facts 

• The phrase, “a pig in the poke” originated from a common trick in 17th-century England. An unsuspecting shopper would be sold what they thought was a suckling pig, but instead, they were sold a cat upon opening the poke (bag). This is also what led to the phrase, “let the cat out of the bag”.¹
• The fastest member of the pig family is the warthog, and it can reach speeds of up to 35 mph.¹
• Pigs are not known to have the best vision. However, they do have expectational hearing capabilities.¹
• Hair on pigs is referred to as bristles.
• Domesticated pigs can live into their twenties.
• Pigs use mud as a natural sunblock to prevent sunburn.
• Pigs have been said to have the intelligence of a young child. You have to always be one step ahead of these guys because they are pretty smart.
• There’s an island in the Bahamas where you can actually swim with pigs called Big Major Cay, and it’s been dubbed Pig Beach.
• Pigs were often used to forage for truffles. They have an excellent sense of smell and are natural foragers. The truffles give off a specific odor, and pigs are able to detect the aroma. However, this practice has declined in recent years, and dogs are more widely used. This is due to the pig’s desire to eat the truffles they find.²
• Pigs were once sent onto battlefields to help sniff out minefields and were called Solider Pigs.¹
• A pig’s squeal can reach decibels of 110 to 115¹. It’s recommended to wear ear protection any time you have time to handle an unhappy pig.
• Pigs are incredibly social animals and can commonly be found lying close to each other.¹
• Pigs communicate by using various grunt noises.¹ 

“I am fond of pigs. Dogs look up to us. Cats look down on us.

Pigs treat us as equals.”

- Sir Winston Churchill

 “Dolly and Scarlett staying warm by the fire”

“Heidi and Scarlett”

“Scarlett on her splash pad staying cool”

“Dolly dressed up as a hot dog (beef of course)”

References

1. Did You Know These Things About Pigs? (n.d.). Mini Pig Info. Retrieved February 8, 2023, from https://www.minipiginfo.com/facts-about-pigs.html
2. Fitzpatrick, N. (2022, March 31). Truffle Pigs And Dogs • Truffle Growing. TruffleGrowing.com. https://trufflegrowing.com/truffle-pigs-and-dogs/
3. Major Swine Breeds (Swine Home Study Course). (n.d.). Swine Home Study Course (Penn State College of Ag Sciences). Retrieved February 8, 2023, from https://extension.psu.edu/courses/swine/basic-production/swine-selection-principles/major-swine-breeds
4. Mini Pig Breeds - American Mini Pig Association. (2021). Americanminipigassociation.com. https://americanminipigassociation.com/breeders/mini-pig-breeder-articles/mini-pig-breeds/
5. Pork Fact Book 2002-2003: History of the Pig and the U.S. Pork Industry – Hogs, Pigs, and Pork. (2019, August 29). Swine.extension.org. https://swine.extension.org/pork-fact-book-2002-2003-history-of-the-pig-and-the-u-s-pork-industry/
6. What is a mini pig? Is there such a thing? (n.d.). Mini Pig Info. Retrieved February 8, 2023, from https://www.minipiginfo.com/what-is-a-mini-pig.html

About the author: Heidi Wilson is the Business Development Manager for BSM Partners and comes with over 12 years of experience within the pet food industry. She is an animal lover, animal rescuer, and pet mom to dogs, cats, mini pigs, and donkeys. She resides in San Antonio, TX, on a farm with her pets. In her free time, she can be found tucking her piggy girls in every night and making them fresh salads at bedtime.

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