Meishan Pigs

Facts about Meishan Pigs, The "Meishan Pig" originate from China. They are named after a province in China. The Meishan Pig were mostly found in the rivers and valleys that are found in Southern parts of China. The Meishan Pig were also known as "Taihu pigs". The Meishan Pig were once named after the "Taihu Lake", a area considered not too harsh.

USDA and the University of Iowa introduced them to the United States back in 1980’s. The University of Illinois also was involved in this venture. Fengjing and Minze pigs were also among the breeds that came along with Meishan pigs. About 144 other breeds of pigs were also introduced along the same time. The university of IOWA was given 32 pigs both males and females.

The Meishan Pig are diseases resistant, though not to all diseases, thus making them to survive with minimal maintenance. Again, this increases their survival rate. Generally, the Meishan Pig are heavy feeders and take large amounts of roughages. Other farm products and water - plants is a delicacy to these pigs too.

Though not much is known about their heat and cold tolerance, according to the area of their origin Meishan pigs adapts well in areas that have mild climate conditions. This again, is portrayed by the layer of their hair, which is not very dense.

Managing the Meishan Pigs is not very hard. They are manageable in the sense that they are gentle. This is a good adaptation because when kept indoors they grow well.

Free range is suitable for the Meishan Pig if a person has field to let them graze. They know how to forage so in dry spells they look for food.

The Meshian pigs have wrinkles on their face and skin. The wrinkles are more visible on the face than the skin. They have dropping ears and are small to medium in size. These features distinguish them from other pigs.

The Meishan Pig embryos have a high rate of survival. Their litter size is very large compared to that of other breeds. It ranges form 15 – 16 piglets. The Meishan Pig sows nurse their piglets for about three to five weeks. When Piglets are weaned off of their mother’s milk, they are not called piglets but are known as shoats. Piglets at birth weigh about 2.5 pounds (1.1 kilograms), and on average, will double their weight in one week. The mother fends for its young ones ensuring they suckle until they are weaned. Weaning is natural, but when the mother is out grazing, the piglets are seen with her maybe learning.

Their weight is around 140 pounds (62 kg) in maturity. Their height is 23 to 40 inches (58 to 100 cm) around the chest. The back fat is one inch (2.5 cm) in thickness.

The Meishan Pigs grow at a very fast rate. They are known to record the fastest growth around the world. This refers to both males and females Meishan Pigs. At two to three months, they reach puberty. Most farmers slaughter them at this stage to avoid having very fat pigs that are not consumer friendly.

According to researches, Meishan pigs are considered to have improved the European pig breeds by cross breeding.

Meishan Pigs have small lungs compared to their body size.

The term Swine: is any variety of omnivorous, even-toed ungulates of the family Suidae, this includes hogs, boars and pigs having a short neck, thick skin a movable snout and a stout body.

The saliva of Meishan Pigs contains pheromones-( A chemical substance used to attract a mate) similar to that of other pig breeds that communicate their sexual wants. The male pigs discharge this steroid and female pigs will go to vast lengths to acquire a smell of the sent.

Meishan Pigs are very intelligent, not like people think, that pigs are dumb animals. A Meishan Pig can drink between 10 to 14 gallons (37.8 to 53 liters)of water in a day.
Just as other breeds imported from china, Meishan pigs are very slow in growth. On the other hand, they are fat. Their meat is tender, sweet, marbled and very tasty. The fat is used to make lard. Though farmers like to rear them, they complain of their slow growth. Meishan Pigs are omnivores like humans, an omnivores, (definition-they eat both other animals and plants). The Meishan Pig snout is its most important tool for finding food. The pigs snout is used for their excellent sense of smell and have poor eyesight.

Meishan Pigs are raised for there meat such as ham, sausage, bacon and pork chops. Pigs can make great pets. "A wild male pig is called a boar"- meaning uncastrated male pig, that lives in the wild and can be hunted. "Feral pig or hog is defined as a wild boar" can be a very big danger where humans habitat.

Meishan Pigs Feet

The four feet and four toes of the pig are called "trotters" that humans eat as a delicacy called pigs feet or pigs knuckles. A Meishan Pigs foot has four toes that are pointed downwards when the pig walks, it walks on the tips of its toes, rather than its whole foot and only uses two of the toes in the middle and the outside toes for balance. The Meishan Pig has tougher feet at the ends that are hooves. The two toes in the middle of the foot are slightly webbed, this helps the pigs balance for walking.

Meishan Pigs have 44 teeth when full grown, when they are baby pigs (piglets) the have 28 teeth which will fall out when they are 12 months old. Just like human teeth, the Meishan Pig has an enamel coating that makes the pigs teeth stronger and helps it curb disease. Meishan Pigs chew their food because pigs have a digestive system similar to a human digestive system and cannot digest food that is not chewed.

Meishan Pigs do not sweat a lot, that's why they cover themselves in the mud to keep their bodies cool. The expression "sweating like a pig" comes from a reference to pig iron, which comes form iron smelting.

"A pig is the last of the 12 animals in the Chinese zodiac. The pig happiness, represents, honesty and fortune and virility in China". A female adult Meishan Pig is called a (sow) and the male adult Meishan Pig is called a (boar). The lifespan of a Meishan Pig is between 9 and 15 years
"Scientific name for Pig Sus scrofa", the wild swine (Boar) from the old world with a narrow body and prominent tusks is from where most domestic swine come from. The "fear of pigs Swinophobia"