Pig

The domestic pig (Sus scrofa domesticus or Sus domesticus), often called swine or hog, is a large, even-toed ungulate; it is variously considered a subspecies of the wild boar, or a distinct species.

Description
Its head-plus-body-length ranges from 0.9 to 1.8 m, and the adult can weigh between 50 to 350 kg. Compared to other artiodactyls, its head is relatively long, pointed, and free of warts. Even-toed ungulates are generally herbivorous, but the domestic pig is an omnivore, like its wild relative.

History
Archaeological evidence suggests that pigs were domesticated from wild boar as early as 13,000–12,700 BCE in the Tigris Basin being managed in the wild in a way similar to the way they are managed by some modern New Guineans. The adaptable nature and omnivorous diet of the wild boar allowed early humans to domesticate it readily. Pigs were mostly used for food, but early civilizations also used the pigs' hides for shields, bones for tools and weapons, and bristles for brushes.

Food
The domestic pig is mostly used for its meat, pork. Other food products made from pigs include pork sausage (casings made from the intestines), bacon, gammon, ham and pork scratchings (made from the hide or rind). The head of a pig can be used to make a preserved jelly called head cheese (sometimes known as brawn). Liver, chitterlings, blood (for blood pudding or black pudding), and other offal from pigs are also widely used for food. A rare cheese is produced in Tuscany called Porcorino.

In some religions, such as Judaism and Islam, pork is taboo food.

Hair and Skin
Pigskin is used to produce seat covers, apparel, pork rinds, and other items. Pig bristles are often used in brushes.

As pets
Asian pot-bellied pigs, a small type of domestic pig, have made popular house pets in the United States beginning in the latter half of the twentieth century. Domestic farmyard pigs have also been known to be kept indoors, but due to their large size and destructive tendencies, they typically need to be moved into an outdoor pen as they grow older. Most pigs have a fear of being picked up by the stomach, but will usually calm down once placed back on the floor. Pigs are rarely used as working animals. An important exception is the use of truffle pigs – ordinary pigs trained to find truffles.

Miniature pigs, aka micro or teacup pigs, which are specifically bred to be small, may weigh from 12–30 kg. They gained in popularity in 2009 after several press articles claimed they were a popular pet to celebrities. Despite claims that the pigs will remain small their whole lives, these pigs may eventually grow to a large size comparable to other pet pigs.

