Pigs

Pigs are highly intelligent, omnivorous animals. Like most mammals, pigs give birth to live young that drink milk produced by the mother. Pigs are social animals, living and reproducing in herds...

Swine flu is a respiratory disease caused by the type A influenza virus that primarily affects pigs. The disease is rarely spread to humans but, according to the CDC, pigs can catch both human and...

The pig embryo begins to develop from the moment of conception--the time when the boar's sperm penetrates the cell walls of the sow's ova. Within 14 to 16 hours, the single fertilized cell has...

Pigs are a versatile animal. You may raise them for food, house or farm pets or breeding. Therefore pigs have body parts related to both anatomy and for food.

The classic way to remove hair from a hog is to scald the carcass in hot water and scrape the hair off with a scraper, razor or sharp knife. Traditional scalding and scraping a hog's skin remains...

Eye infection in pigs, or cherry eye, is quiet similar to conjunctivitis occurring in humans, with the most common symptons being redness, swelling and pain. Cherry eye should be differentiated...

Have you fallen in love with the teacup pigs everyone is talking about? You may have seen the Today Show when Teacup Pig breeder, Jane Croft, told Meredith Vieira and Ann Curry how wonderful they...

Ascaris suum is the proper name of a parasitic roundworm of pigs. This worm has also been known to parasitize humans. The life cycle can be direct or indirect depending on the species and route...

Most people think that pigs are dumb, lazy and dirty animals but when it comes to eating pork their opinion changes. Pigs are actually smart animals and sometimes smarter than the common dog. Pigs...

Raising hogs can be a profitable venture if you have the available resources, and it can also provide you and your family with enough pork to last you all year. Hogs are less expensive to feed and...

When getting a pig ready for the fair, there is more involved than feeding and washing it to get ready for the big show. One thing that can separate the Grand Champion white pig from others is...

You may have noticed that at pig shows, the pigs have notches, or v-shaped cuts in their ears. But did not know what they were for. Or maybe you are thinking about buying a few pigs for the kids...

During the fertilization process, an egg is released internally inside the female pig. A series of chemical indicators will put the pig in estrus, indicating to the male that she is now fertile...

The skin of a healthy pig should be smooth and free of sores and abscesses. Although different breeds of pigs have different amounts of hair, whatever hair is present should be evenly distributed...

It is not uncommon for pigs to develop problems with their feet, especially if they have not been properly housed or cared for. If your pig appears lame or in pain, a close examination of each...

A common practice among pig farmers is ear clipping or notching. Putting clip marks in the pig's ears helps farmers to identify specific pigs on their farm. If you choose to use this method on...

The liver and its functions are referred to as the hepatic system, from the Greek word meaning liver. Living pigs need their liver to properly digest and metabolize the nutrients they eat....

At the fair, hog exhibitors will get two chances to show their pig. Learn about showing pigs for livestock judging at the fair from an FFA member in this free animal husbandry video.

Confirmation is simply the judging of a market hog. Learn about showing pigs and livestock confirmation judging from an FFA member in this free animal husbandry video.

At most pig shows, a supreme showman and reserve showman are picked, as are a grand and reserve champion animal. Learn about showing pigs for livestock judging and awards from an FFA member in...

Judges often look at cuts of meat in pig shows. Learn about the success of pig show winners from an FFA member in this free animal husbandry video.

Piglets need to be bred within six months of the beginning of a fair or competition. Learn about raising and breeding piglets for livestock judging and auctions from an FFA member in this free...

Hog showmen often use skin conditioner on their pigs before a show. Learn about preparing for showing pigs for livestock judging and auctions from an FFA member in this free animal husbandry video.

It's important to teach kids to stay calm for pig shows. Learn about training kids to show pigs for livestock judging and auctions from an FFA member in this free animal husbandry video.

A hog needs to be comfortable with a showman before it can enter a show. Learn about preparing pigs for livestock judging and auctions from an FFA member in this free animal husbandry video.

When looking at a pig or hog, make sure they carry definition and muscling down the ham. Learn about buying show pigs for livestock judging and auctions from an FFA member in this free animal...

Hog wire is better than chain-link fences when building a pig pen. Learn about building a pig pen for show hogs from an FFA member in this free animal husbandry video.

A built in feeder prevents a hog from tipping or wasting feed. Learn about safe hog feeding for show pigs from an FFA member in this free animal husbandry video.

A market hog gains weight efficiently at one pound of grain per three pounds of feed. Learn about high quality market hog feed for show pigs from an FFA member in this free animal husbandry video.

Some health issues for pigs, such as upper respiratory infections, requires a veterinarian and antibiotics. Learn about health issues for show pigs from an FFA member in this free animal husbandry...

The FFA is an organization that gets kids involved in farming and agriculture. Learn about the Future Farmers of America and showing pigs for livestock judging from an FFA member in this free...

Pals is a group that allows younger children to participate in the FFA. Learn about the Future Farmers of America Pals group from an FFA member in this free animal husbandry video.

Students of the FFA are required to have a supervised agricultural experience, such as raising a hog. Learn about the Future Farmers of America agricultural experience from an FFA member in this...

Pigs are sometimes fitted with nose rings to prevent them from rooting in the ground. The basic principle is that you don't want a pig to root excessively, because it could ruin crops or lead to...

Hogs have been a stable of many societies for hundreds of years. Hogs are still useful today, with everything from pork chops to lard coming from these porcine creatures. Feeding hogs can be a...

Kids have been showing 4-H pigs at pig shows for generations. It takes a very special swine to be a 4-H pig. It has to meet certain standards set forth by the 4-H organization, as well as have a...

Pigs are prey species, and one of the ways that they escape from predators is with their speed. All varieties of pig--wild and domestic--are surprisingly fast. They can outrun you in just a few...

A female pig, called a sow, can become pregnant once it is 8 months old, and usually remain fertile until they are 18 months old. Male pigs, or boars, become sexually active once they are 8 to 10...

It's not often that a pig can be mentioned without bringing up a less-than-favorable impression. Call someone a pig, and it's an insult. Eat like a pig, and you're not likely to be invited back...

Kids showing their animals in the fair are so cute. Look at the little 50-pound children showing that 250-pound pig. How do the kids get that pig to cooperate? Getting that pig to cooperate...

If you or your child are in a county 4-H club or a member of FFA, then you possibly will sometime be shopping for that show pig. This article explains some of the high points for what to watch for.

Many of you may be wondering, “What is a Show pig?” I hope that by reading this article you will attain this knowledge and come away with a new understanding of the show pig. The show pig begins...

Anyone who has ever raised a single hog knows that at some point they need to figure out a way to move the pig from one place to another. The simplest, most efficient way to do that is in a...

Unless you are planning on using them for breeding purposes, male hogs should be neutered as quickly as possible. Neutering your hog will mean that it will spend more time focusing on eating and...

Learn facts about piglet development in this free video on raising farm pigs, with animal husbandry tips.

Learn facts about caring for pigs in this free video on raising farm animals, with animal husbandry tips.

Learn facts about common pig problems, like disease, in this free video on raising farm animals, with animal husbandry tips.

Learn facts about raising pet pigs in this free video on farm animals, with animal husbandry tips.

Learn facts about pig pregnancy in this free video on raising farm animals, with animal husbandry tips.

Learn facts about piglets & nursing in this free video on raising farm pigs, with animal husbandry tips.