Pig
| Pig | |
|---|---|
| |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom Information | |
| Kingdom | Animalia |
| Phylum Information | |
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Sub-phylum | Vertebrata |
| Class Information | |
| Class | Mammalia |
| Order Information | |
| Order | Artiodactyla |
| Sub-order | Suina |
| Family Information | |
| Family | Suidae |
| Genus Information | |
| Genus | Sus |
| Species Information | |
| Species | S. barbatus (Bearded Pig) S. bucculentus (Vietnamese Warty Pig) S. cebifrons (Visayan Warty Pig) S. celebensis (Celebes Warty Pig) S. domestica (Domestic pig) S. heureni (Flores Warty Pig) S. salvanius (Pigmy Hog |
| Population statistics | |
Pigs are omnivorous odd-toed ungulates originally native to Eurasia. Pigs have long snouts with flattened ends, curly tails, and are typically pink in color. Feral pigs, however, rapidly revert to the dark and bristly form of the wild boar, from which domestic pigs are derived.
2007 is the Chinese year of the Pig.
Male pigs are called boars, female pigs are called sows, and baby pigs are called piglets.
Pigs are surprisingly intelligent, and trained pigs are used in parts of Europe to root for truffles.
Bacon, pork, often in the form of the sausage and ham come from pigs. Pigs' trotters are a delicacy in northern England, dried pigs' ears are readily available as a treat for dogs, and the fat of the pig is lard, the skin is often either deep fried or baked and sold as pork scratchings in UK pubs. It is said that everything of the pig can be eaten, with the exception of the oink. Footballs are traditionally made from a pig's skin, and for the earliest ballgames, an inflated pig's bladder was used for a ball.
Religious Views
To those of the Jewish faith, rule of the Book of Leviticus, eating pigs or even handling their hide is an abomination. , "...the swine, though he divide the hoof, and be clovenfooted, yet he cheweth not the cud; he is unclean to you. Of their flesh shall ye not eat, and their carcase shall ye not touch; they are unclean to you." (Leviticus 11:7-11:8).
Muslims have, and still practice, a similar prohibition on the consumption or handling of pigs.
In the liberty of the New Covenant, not even pigs are considered unclean by Christians, unless a person is convinced they are unclean in his own mind. Romans 14:14 I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself: but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean.
Pigs In Literature
Pigs have often featued in works of fiction. Two particular examples are Animal Farm by George Orwell, and the Blandings Castle novels by P.G. Wodehouse where the Empress of Blandings is a prize-winning sow.
