Discover the expert in you.
Discover the expert in you.
While there are 73 known breeds of pigs around the world, there are eight major pig breeds that are most common in the United States. The dark breeds consist of the Hampshire, Duroc, Berkshire, Poland China and Spot, while the most common white breeds are the Chester White, Landrance and Yorkshire. Here are some interesting facts about the most common breeds of pigs in the United States.
The kune kune (pronounced cooney cooney) pig genuinely enjoys the company of humans. The native New Zealand pig stands under 26 inches tall. It usually has two tassel-like appendages that dangle below its chin and a fur-covered body. According to the Monach Farms website ,Individual variations include long hair, short hair, curly hair, a pug nose, a straight nose, droopy ears and prick ears. Sows usually give birth to 3 to 14 piglets. The sow makes an excellent mother and will diligently care for her piglets. A male pig, known as a boar, reaches maturity at two yeas of age.…
Bush pigs, or bushpigs, are part of the pig family and related to the warthog. While similar to the warthog in looks, bush pigs tend to be larger, have smaller tusks and lack warts. They have long hair that ranges from red to black. If you own acres of private property and are interested in raising or conserving these animals, you'll need to know the basics for these wild omnivores. Bush pigs can live up to 20 years and, without predators (such as their primary predator, the leopard), can reproduce quickly.
Having fallen in love with your first guinea pig, you may feel that you want to have more. Guinea pigs are naturally social animals and are happier with company, so having at least two guinea pigs makes sense. As in the wild, however, some guinea pigs, particularly males, or boars, have dominant tendencies that can make introductions tricky. Luckily, when introducing either baby boars or sows to an adult you already own, the adults, of either sex, often feel protective towards the little one, rather than threatened by it, as they might with another adult. While introducing baby pigs to…
It's important for people not to breed guinea pigs unless they are trained breeders, and breeders should make sure that the mother weighs at least 200 grams. Discover how gestation takes about nine to 10 weeks for guinea pigs with help from the manager of a pet store in this free video on breeding guinea pigs.
Guinea pigs must breed at a very specific time in their development to avoid the death of the female. If guinea pigs are bred at the right ages, the resulting pregnancy should be quick and uncomplicated. Babies will be born with their fur and will be walking around the cage within a day.
Learn from an exotic animal health technician and learn why she does not recommend breeding pet guinea pigs and what factors to consider if you do choose to breed them, in this free online video.
Usually, guinea pigs have a way of choosing their own breeding partners without any human intervention. But if you can breed the best of the best, then that is the best way you can create and nurture healthy pigs. Take into account their coat patterns, body shape and rarity.
