Pig Terminology
Like many areas of farming and livestock, pig-keeping has its own lexicon and terminology. This glossary of pig terms should help you understand the most commonly used words and phrases.
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Boar | An uncastrated male pig over six months old. |
| Sow | A female pig that has had its first litter. |
| Gilt | A female pig which has not yet produced a litter. |
| Gestation Period | Length of pregnancy. In pigs, three months, three weeks and three days. |
| Hog | A castrated male pig. |
| Piglet | A young pig. |
| Weaner | A piglet separated from its mother and eating only solid food. Weaning can take place anytime between five and ten weeks of age. |
| Porker | A pig reared to pork weight, normally about 60kg live weight, rather than to bacon weight. Usually achieved between four and six months of age, depending on breed. |
| Baconer | A pig being reared for bacon rather than pork, and which will be slaughtered at 80kg - 100kg live weight, at about 8 - 10 months of age. |
| Cutter | A pig between pork and bacon weight, raised to produce larger joints. |
If we've missed any commonly used terms please tell us and we'll add them.
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About Rosemary Champion
Rosemary lives on a 12 acre smallholding in Angus, in the east of Scotland, where she keeps Ryeland Sheep, Shetland cattle and assorted poultry. She was destined to be a smallholder from an early age.
Further Reading
 Pigs: A Guide to Management Neville Beynon |  Pig Keeping (Countryside Series) Richard Lutwyche |  Small-Scale Outdoor Pig Breeding Wendy Scudamore |  Pig Ailments: Recognition and Treatment Mark White |  Know Your Pigs Jack Byard |
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