Pig 101
The pride of
pig farming.
Pigs are important! As a farmer-owned company, we feel everyone should know a little about these social and intelligent mammals.
▼ life cycle ▼
The Life Cycle of a Market Pig
2-3 lbs.
birth
12-15 lbs.
weaning
50-60 lbs.
Grower
280 lbs.
market weight
▼ pregnancy ▼
▼ ready for market ▼
Growth & Finishing
- 115 to 120 Days (16-17 weeks)
- Pigs are moved from the nursery to a finishing barn to accommodate their continued growth
- In the grow/finish phase, pigs consume 4 to 8 lbs. of feed daily
- As pigs grow, they are monitored daily to ensure they are healthy
- At about 6 months of age, the pigs weigh about 280 lbs. and are then market ready
▼ breeds ▼
Wholestone Breeds
Yorkshire, Landrace, Large White, Duroc? There's more than just one type of pig. Here's a quick crash course on our farm pigs.
▼ Gilt/Sows ▼
Yorkshire
- Large, long and white in color
- The most prolific pig breed
- Dish shaped face, skin is free from wrinkles and ears are erect
- Long neck, slightly arched back and long loins
- Known as the ‘mother breed’ because of outstanding milking and mothering abilities
- Popular due to their muscular, low back fat and high percentage of lean carcasses
▼ pig products ▼
Everything but the oink.
When we think of pigs we think of ham, bacon, ribs and pulled pork… but there are many other important items that come from pigs that we use everyday.
▼ recyclers ▼
Pigs:
The Original Recyclers
▼ pig smarts ▼
Fun Pig Facts
Pigs are smart.
Their intelligence is higher than a dog’s, some primates and even young human children.
Pigs are clean.
In their natural state, pigs are very clean animals. They keep their toilets far from their living or feeding areas.
Pigs are tolerant of the cold.
They are much more tolerant of colder temperatures than heat. Pigs have no sweat glands so they can’t sweat. This is why they enjoy being in mud to keep themselves cool.
Pigs talk to each other.
Pigs use grunts to communicate with each other. The grunts made by pigs vary depending on the pig’s personality and can convey important information about the welfare of this highly social species.
Pigs have great memories.
Pigs have excellent memories. They can remember things for years and can recognize and remember objects!
Newborns understand their mother.
Newborn piglets learn to respond to their mothers’ voices, and mother pigs communicate with their babies through grunts while nursing.
Pigs enjoy some entertainment.
Pigs like to get massages, enjoy scratching themselves on trees, relaxing while listening to music, and playing with enrichment toys.
Pigs have an amazing sense of smell.
The highest density of tactile receptors is found in the pig’s snout. Pigs use it mainly to dig in the dirt and smell food. A pig’s sense of smell is about 2000 times more sensitive than humans.
Pigs are social.
Pigs are incredibly social & nosey.
