Our pigs are always popular with guests and are known for their big personalities and curious nature. They love meeting visitors and are often the first animals children ask to see during their stay.
A visit to the pigs is a great way to experience life on a working farm and get up close to some of the friendliest residents at Yeatheridge Farm.
Facts About Pigs
• Pigs are very clever
Pigs are one of the smartest animals on the planet. Their intelligence ranks higher than dogs, some primates… and even toddlers! Piglets can learn their names by two to three weeks of age and respond when called and can learn tricks faster than dogs.
• Baby pigs are called piglets.
Pigs are pregnant for 3 Months, 3 weeks and 3 days. When piglets are born they weigh about 2.5 lbs when they’re born, and they’ll double their weight within the first week. Newborn piglets can recognise their mother’s voices, and they’ll run to her when she calls.
• Mother pigs sing to their young while nursing them
It is also now known that piglets have a certain teat order, and every piglet has its own teat.
• Contrary to popular belief – Pigs are actually very clean animals
In their natural state, Pigs are very clean animals. They keep their toilets far from their living or feeding area.
• “But they love to wallow in mud!” I hear you cry…
They are much more tolerant of colder temperatures than heat. Pigs have no sweat glands, so they can’t sweat hence enjoy being in mud to keep themselves cool.
• Pigs use their grunts to communicate with each other
The grunts made by pigs vary depending on the pig’s personality and can convey important information about the welfare of this highly social species. They may grunt to warn other pigs of approaching danger, or make unique sounds when running, waiting, or fighting.
• A Pig’s squeal can also be VERY loud!
An adult pig’s squeal can reach 110 to 115 decibels. Oink!
• Pigs can run faster than most people
We don’t think of pigs as being very speedy. But domestic pigs can actually run as fast as 11 miles per hour, and wild boars can run even faster at 15 miles per hour. This is how they escape predators in the wild.
• They have poor eye sight – but make up for it with a fantastic sense of smell
Pigs use it mainly to dig in the dirt and smell for food. A pig’s sense of smell is about 2000 times more sensitive than human’s.
• Pigs are very social animals.
They form close bonds with each other and other species and some like to cuddle up close, snout to snout, especially at low temperatures.
And last but not least…
• Pigs Can Breathe Through Their Butts!!
It’s TRUE. Pigs, rats, and mice can all absorb oxygen through their intestines.
Why do we know this, you might ask? During the COVID-19 pandemic, researchers wanted to figure out if it was possible to get oxygen into sick people another way. They performed studies on rats, mice, and pigs to see if it could be done…and it can!
