by Carie Moore
October is my favorite month for many reasons. Harvest is almost over, it’s the season of pumpkin everything, football, and it’s PORKTOBER!
Who doesn’t love bacon or a good ham? Pork is loaded with protein, iron, zinc, and B-vitamins. Top states for corn and soybeans are also top states in pork production, because that’s what pigs eat.
Pigs can reach market weight in 6 months. When pigs are bred the saying is “3 months 3 weeks 3 days” as a guide for when she will farrow or have piglets. Shortly after piglets are born they are given a shot of iron. They are moved to a nursery after about 3 weeks, then to a finishing barn. In many cases they stay in groups until they are bred. This allows them to eat as much as they want for growth.
Once bred, their care changes. They are now carrying piglets, so they need to be watched more closely. If they are housed in crates, they can get the correct amount of feed, so they don’t gain too much weight, they can be safe and not fight with other pigs, and they can be monitored for fevers, abortions, medications and other concerns.
Most farmers are trained in many areas of care and can handle minor emergencies. They know their animals and if they aren’t acting right. But every farm has a vet that visits and that farmers can call for anything that might worry them.
Today, many cuts of pork are just as lean as chicken. Bacon and ham are the highest selling retail pork products.
Food isn’t the only thing that comes from pigs, however. Leather, cosmetics, floor waxes, crayons, linoleum, and glue can all come from pigs. We get Insulin and heart valves from pigs, and pig skin is used in burn dressings. In forensic work, when they need to identify a timeline or an injury to a human they use a pig carcass because they bruise similarly to humans. This helps solve crime cases. Pigs are continually in the forefront of scientific research because of their rate of gain, genome, disease resistance/susceptibilities, and human compatible body parts.
I have always been fascinated by pigs on many levels. They are remarkable in so many ways. That one animal can do so much for humans, from food to saving lives.
If you want information on food, research, or retail, Pork Checkoff is a great site with a ton of information. If you ever want to visit a pig farm, let me know and I can make arrangements. If you have questions about any stage of pork production send them my way. I also have friends who can answer as well. Each farm is different, but the care and commitment we all have to them is strong.