Mukota Pigs

Facts about Mukota Pigs. The Mukota pigs were introduced by the Chinese and European traders in between 16 and 1700 AD according to sources. The Mukota Pigs belong to two classes. One Mukota Pig breed is very short, fat and has short snout that resembles one of the pigs found in China. The other Mukota Pig breed has a long nose which has a back that looks like a razor and it strongly resembles the Windsnyer breed. The Mukota Pig can also be known as Rhodesian Indigenous pigs of Zimbabwe. The Mukota 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.

But both classes look similar. The Mukota Pig are black in color and normally don’t have any spots. When you research wider you will realize that in Zimbabwe and Zambia these Mukota pigs dominate. Around 1973 a study was made in Zimbabwe which confirmed that the Mukota Pig mostly occupy North Eastern part which is also known as Mukota. This explains why they are known as Mukota pigs.

The Mukota Pigs adapts to several climatic conditions. The Mukota Pig are known to adapt so well in harsh tropical environments where it is very hot. The food in these areas is very scarce and low in proteins, energy though higher in fiber. But this is not an hindrance because they adapt so well fending for themselves. The Mukota Pig are resistant to diseases and their water consumption is very low. They can survive on 6 litres of water for a period of one week.

Unlike other pigs the Mukota Pigs have an enlarged caecum. This is a good adaptation because it gives them the ability to survive on fibrous diets. Surprisingly the Mukota Pig can live under very un-hygienic conditions without getting sick. These are some of the adaptations that makes Mukota pigs to survive anywhere around the world.

The Mukota Pig can be kept in pig houses when the weather is wet or when it is raining. When there is drought or during dry seasons, the Mukota Pig can be left to graze on their own. This allows them to feed well especially when the food is hardy.

Mating is observed to occur mostly when the rains starts. This is because the Mukota Pig are mostly kept in their pig houses. During this season, it becomes very hard to control their mating routine.

Reproduction is observed to fall in a rhythm and takes place annually. The litter size ranges between 6.5 to 7.5 and litter age at firs is 6 to 12 months. The weaning of the piglets occurs naturally where the mother takes care of it. The 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.

Generally the Mukota Pig are known to be large pigs. When cross breeding with other pigs, the sizes differ according to the environment. The most popular cross breed is the smaller fat Mukota Pig which is crossed with other breeds to get a big breed good enough for the market.

Though the Mukota pigs are known to be disease resistant, the ones found in Zimbabwe are more resistant than the ones that are imported to other countries. This is according to some studies made by several scientists.

Mukota pigs are raised mostly for meat purposes. Around Zimbabwe there meat is very popular and this is seen in most restaurants where you find large groups of people consuming the meat, such as ham, sausage, bacon and pork chops. A female adult Mukota Pig is called a (sow) and the male adult Mukota Pig is called a (boar). The lifespan of a Mukota Pig is between 9 and 15 years

Mukota 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.

Mukota Pigs are very intelligent, not like people think, that pigs are dumb animals. Mukota Pigs are omnivores like humans, an omnivores, (definition-they eat both other animals and plants).

The saliva of Mukota 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 Mukota Pigs discharge this steroid and female pigs will go to vast lengths to acquire a smell of the sent.
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.

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.

Mukota Pigs unlike is said, happen to be very clean animals. Mukota Pigs make sure their bathroom area is far away from where they eat, lie down and rest, even piglets (baby pigs) will find a place to go to the bathroom, far away from their nest.

Mukota 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 Mukota 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 Mukota 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.

Mukota Pigs have small lungs compared to their body size. Mukota 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 Mukota Pig has an enamel coating that makes the pigs teeth stronger and helps it curb disease. Mukota Pigs chew their food because pigs have a digestive system similar to a human digestive system and cannot digest food that is not chewed.

A pig is the last of the 12 animals in the Chinese zodiac. The pig represents, happiness, honesty, fortune and virility in China. "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".