Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
undesirable behavior, and some farmers put a humane ring through a pig's nose in order to
prevent it. If you are keeping pet pigs, be aware that most breeds will tear up lawns or flower-
beds. Rooting is an excellent way to turn the soil, but it can destroy anything planted.
Pigs have rather short legs when compared with the length of their bodies, though this does
not prevent young or fit pigs from achieving surprising speeds — in some places, pigs are
even raced. Their feet are made up of four toes, each with an individual hoof, though they
walk only on their front two, which are larger and more solid, while the other two dewclaws
at the back of the hoof rarely touch the ground, except when a pig is moving at top speed.
One unfair stereotype about pigs is that they are dirty animals. It is certainly true that pigs like
to wallow, or lie about, in mud and water because they do not have sweat glands. A cool wal-
low allows them to regulate their body temperatures when it is hot. In addition, light-colored
pigs are susceptible to sunburn and biting insects, and a coat of mud will protect them from
both. However, if your pigs are given sufficient shade and a clean living area free of fecal
matter to minimize insects, your pigs can wallow just as well in fresh, clean water. Most pigs
are excellent swimmers, though potbellied breeds sometimes injure their bellies by kicking
their back feet. You can provide your pigs with a mud wallow, a child's wading pool, or even
a small, clean concrete pool. Pigs love water, and so always make certain there is an ample
supply for swimming and wallowing during the summer months, as well as for drinking.
Although most farm animals will defecate or urinate wherever they happen to be when the
urge takes them, pigs do not do this. In fact, they are quite fastidious about such things, desig-
nating a specific place in which to do their business that is well separated from their nesting
and feeding areas. Pigs living communally also will cooperate in this, establishing one or two
restroom areas respected by all. This makes housetraining a pet pig easy. Researchers at the
University of Illinois also found that pigs will not play with a toy that has been soiled with fe-
ces.
Pigs often are found in dirty, muddy pens, but you should not keep your pigs this way. One
reason people may do this is that it helps create emotional distance from animals intended for
butchering. It is important that you, as a responsible owner, make certain your pigs spend
most of their lives with clean bodies, bedding, and food, even if a mud wallow is in the mix. It
can be difficult to include a clean mud wallow in a pigpen, but not impossible. Along with
kiddie pools for your pigs, you could include a shallow concrete wallow filled with water. Not
