Pig breeding has been a human practice for centuries. Breeding pigs and raising them on a farm can be a very profitable business, if you know and understand the proper terminology, as well as the new technology used to breed them. Because of stricter regulations involved with selling pigs, this is essential for success in breeding and raising pigs. Understanding how pigs mate as well as how they are properly fed and taken care of is a must when breeding them, and getting them prepped for market resale.

B

Barrow – A young male pig that has been castrated
Boar – A wild pig that is an ancestor of the domesticated hog
Boar effect – An uncastrated male pig, or the exposure to gilts, causing early puberty in boars
Boar power – The use of boars ready to mate, for the purpose of breeding
Breeding Herd – A herd or group of pigs used solely for breeding
Breeding Soundness Evaluation (male) – A number of tests or an evaluation used to determine a male pig's ability to breed
Bulbourethral glands- Small glands found in the reproductive organs of male pigs

C

Cervix – Part of a female pig's reproductive organs, located near the uterus
Continuous Farrowing – Producing litters of pigs on a continual basis so there are constant new litters being produced

D

Ductus deferens – A duct in a male pig's reproductive organs that transports sperm through the penis and into the female pig's vagina
Dystocia – Abnormal birth of a pig, or difficult labor for the female pig

E

Epididymus – Part of the male pig's reproductive system that is a tube attached to the testicle
Estrus – A term for when a female pig is in heat
Evaporative cooling – The use of water and evaporation to cool down or reduce excess heat in a livestock building or structure

F

Farrow to finish operation – Description of the process of breeding, raising, and then selling pigs for profit
Farrowing or Feeder pig operation – Selling baby pigs to another breeder who will raise them to market size, and then sell them
Feed conversion efficiency – The measurement of the efficiency of a pig's ability to convert feed into muscle or body mass
Feeder pig operation – A pig breeder whose sole purpose is to sell smaller pigs to other farms or breeders who will then raise them to adulthood and sell them at market
Finisher pig – The phase between the pig's birth and its time to go to market.
Finishing operation – The process of purchasing larger pigs at auction or market, and feeding them to get them to a higher weight for resale
Flushing – The process of cleaning a pig, or flushing its nasal cavities with pressurized water
Foster – An individual pig that is available for adoption or sale

G

Gilt – Small female pig no older than 6 months
Grower pig – A pig that is in between the young stage and the market stage

H

Hand mating – A female pig and male boar exposed in a small enclosed space for the purpose of breeding
Hog – Term used to describe growing or aging swine

L

Labia – An external part of female pig's genitalia
Limit Feeding – Process of feeding pigs a set amount of feed at certain times of the day, versus open and unlimited feed
Lochia – Discharge from a female pig after giving birth

M

Market weight – Acceptable weight at which a pig can be sold
Mating – The process of sex for reproduction
Meat breeds – Types or breeds of pigs designed specifically for meat or human consumption
Mother Breeds – Breeds of female pigs made to mother several litters of pigs throughout a lifespan

N

Non-productive Sow Days – Any period of time when the sow or female pig does not either produce a litter or nurse babies

O

Ovaries – The eggs or ovum-producing organ of a female pig

P

Parturition – The process of a female pig delivering the babies from beginning labor stage to birth
Pen mating- Pigs mating inside an enclosed area, usually a pig pen
Penis – Male pig reproductive organ
Periodic farrowing – The process of farrowing on a smaller scale, usually twice per year
Pig – Hog, swine, boar; a mammal. The term is usually in reference to immature swine
Pig constipation – Situation when pigs are unable to or have a difficult time eliminating waste
Polyestrous – A term for measuring the quality of a pig or herd
Pork producer – Term for a farmer or breeder who sells pigs to market for pork production
Prepuce – Piece of skin that surrounds a pig's genitalia
Prostate – A gland within the male's reproductive system
Puberty – Period of a pig's life before adulthood

S

Segregated early weaning – Removal of baby pigs from their mother between the ages of four to ten days old to help prevent the spread of disease
Service – The deposit of sperm into a female pig's cervix
Shoat – An old term applied to growing swine
Sow – Term for an adult female pig
Standing Heat – Stance a female pig assumes when she is ready for service or breeding

T

Teats – Breast of a female sow used for babies to feed from
Testes – Male pig's reproductive organs or glands

U

Uterus – Part of the female's sex organs where the sperm enters for pregnancy

V

Vagina – Female pig reproductive organs
Vesicular glands – Glands located in the sexual organs that occupy a large area of the internal pelvis

W

Weaner pig – A pig from the age of weaning until they reach about 40 pounds in weight

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