Piglet 2

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Did you know that…

Pigs (Sus) are one of the genera of the pig family (Suidae) of the order of even-toed ungulates (Artiodactyla). The pig genus includes 9 species living today and 3 extinct species. Species of the pig genus are found throughout Eurasia and North Africa. In Latvia one species is found in the wild – the wild boar (Sus scrofa). In animal husbandry its domesticated form, the domestic pig (Sus scrofa domestica), is raised. Pigs are close relatives of the peccaries (Tayassuidae) and the hippopotamuses (Hippopotamidae).
Pigs have a compact body structure, a large head, short legs and coarse hair. The nose is snout-shaped, they have small eyes and a short tail, which may be curled into a ring or a knot, or may be straight. Each foot has 4 toes, of which the 2 middle ones are large and are used for walking. Pigs do not sweat in order to cool down, they cool themselves using water or mud. They also roll in mud to protect their skin against the sun and against parasites and flies. The largest pigs are wild boars (Sus crofa), which can weigh more than 300 kg. Pigs have a very good sense of hearing and smell, but poor eyesight.

In Latvia the following terms are used in the field of pig welfare:
Pig – an animal of the pig species of any age that is kept for bree­ding or fattening;
Boar – a sexually mature male pig used for breeding;
Sow – a female pig after its first farrowing;
Piglet – a pig from birth until weaning from the sow.

Source: wikipedia.org and Cabinet of Ministers Regulation No.743 “Welfare requirements for pigs”