Synonyms for generic pork: pork, pork;
synonymous with male pig: I'll come;
synonyms of female pig: sow;
synonyms of small pig: piglet, verretto, gilt.
Generality
The term "pig" refers to a farm animal intended for slaughter. The pig belongs to the class of Mammalia (mammals), Suidae family, Genus Sus, Species sow; the subspecies most reproduced in captivity corresponds to domesticus (Sus scrofa domesticus). The "recognized" Italian pig breeds are: pig Calabrian, pig Caserta, pig Cinta Senese, pig Moor from Romagna, pig Sicilian black and pig Sardinian.
NB. The European wild boar, which for its part is totally wild, belongs to the same species as the pig; native boar breeds are the majori (Sus scrofa majori) and the meridionalis (Sus scrofa meridionalis).
The pig looks like an imposing animal, with a massive, stocky body, covered with hair (bristles) and with a small curled tail. Suffice it to say that the fattening pig weighs over 150kg, has a short neck and equally short and thin legs that end with 4 claw fingers. The muzzle is typically pig-like, with a disc-like nose, flattened (griffin) and totally hairless; the pig's eyes are very small while the ears appear large and drooping forward. The pig does not have good eyesight, but on the other hand, it makes use of a superfine hearing and sense of smell; the mouth is powerful and equipped with very sharp incisors, sharp canines and particularly robust molars. The pig is omnivorous and is able to find bulbs, tubers and truffles from under the ground; not surprisingly, this animal (if trained) is successfully used in the search for truffles.
The pig loves (and needs) to roll in the mud with which it protects itself from parasites.
The pig reproduces twice a year, respectively in spring and autumn with a gestation of 15 weeks leading to the birth of 4-10 pigs (piglets), which wean at 3 months with a weight of about 25kg.
The pig has always been an animal raised, both industrially and at the home or farm level. Obviously it requires the presence of a closed and covered pigsty, equipped with containing troughs for feeding and drinking; there must also be a large open space where the pig can root and get wet with mud. From the third month of life up to a weight of about 120kg, the pig is fed mainly with flours, cereals, chopped corn, potatoes, fodder and cooking leftovers.
NB. In the Po Valley, the farmers used to let the pigs graze in the orchard already "exploited", allowing the animals to feed on the apples and pears that have now fallen from the plants.
The pig is a gregarious animal and possesses a remarkable social structure (also justified by the excellent intelligence that the animal demonstrates in its activities); the pig has a typically complex communication system structured both by various behaviors and by a "wide range of vocalizations.
Currently, the most bred breed is the Landrace; this pig has an elongated shape, a pink coat and transparent bristles; it is of English origin, has a high prolificacy and a remarkable resistance to diseases. Of the pig are used:
- The meat, fresh and preserved
- The fifth quarter (offal, fat, blood, etc.) fresh and preserved (greaves, coppa di testa, liver sausages, etc.)
- The bones, for the home-made production of soap or glue
- Leather, for the production of gloves, shoes, suitcases and belts
- The bristles, for the production of brushes.
From the food point of view, the pig can be classified into two types (distinguishable by rearing, weight and size): the light pig (which slightly exceeds the quintal) and the heavy pig (which exceeds the quintal and a half, and constitutes an "Italian EXLUSIVE).
