Is Your Neighbor Roasting Hampshire Pigs?
Hampshire pigs are known as a group of domestic swine. They are known for their ears that stand straight up, and they are usually black and white with a marble pattern on their bodies. These pigs are the oldest recorded breed in America, but other than this what is so special about these pigs?
Basic Facts on Hampshire Pigs
These hogs are noted to be a very neat breed of pig. They are rather large, they are hardy, and they are actually noted for the intelligence. Amazingly, Hampshire pigs are such a hardy breed that they could survive without human intervention. They basically view the human being as someone there to feed them when available, but otherwise we are in their way!
Their black and white coloring is usually the first thing that makes a Hampshire stand out in a crowd of pigs. Their upper body is usually black, with the white coming down around their legs and their belly. As mentioned previously, they are known for having erect ears, so they don’t ever lay back, always looking attentive.
Why Hampshire Pigs?
Hampshire pigs are the favorite of small farmers, simply because they are known for having healthy litters, and they can be bred easily with many other breed of pigs. When they have their litters, there are usually somewhere between 8 and 14 pigs. The mothers are known for their extremely strong motherly instinct, so be careful if you try to step in between a sow and her piglet. If you have handled the mother before, or if you have handled her often, then once you put her into the pen with the piglets you can handle them all, and she will adapt. Move cautiously through the pen, as any quick movements will alert her making her think that you are hurting the baby piglets. If she is familiar with you, and you move carefully and handle the babies carefully, then the sow is usually okay with you.
The Hampshire pigs grow pretty quickly, and they tend to have longer legs than most other breeds. They are also characterized by longer snouts, so they definitely stand out in the crowd of pigs. These pigs are also known to be low maintenance, and have a pretty simple diet. The simple diet of ground day and corn keeps them happy and well fed. There are a few weeds they like to eat too, and they are called bull nettle and iron weed. These two types of weeds are very common in Colorado, and in many cases the farmers will find an area of it and fence them in. Wherever there is food this keeps them pretty happy.
The Hampshire pigs are not doubt the happiest pigs on earth with a full water trough, a full area of food where they can eat, an area of weeds, and naturally their favorite past time is crawling around in mud hole. Hogs have sweat glands, but they are only on their back legs. For this one reason, a mud hole is an absolute must for the Hampshire. The purpose of the mud is not for them to fall on top of each other and get dirty, but it’s to help them stay cool, and acts as a protectant against the sun. It never occurs to anyone that a poor pig may get sunburned, but when they do it’s not a pleasant sight. Their skin is sensitive, so a mud hole is just what they need in order to give them protection from the sun.
Having pigs can be a lot of fun, so long as you feed them, and keep them muddy!