CELEBRITY FOODS PORK BLOG

We are schizophrenic in our cultural vision of pigs. On the one hand, filth is very commonly associated with pigs. So is sweat. Some of the most common phrases in our language paint the pig with a variety of images that are just not true.

You’ve heard “sweating like a pig”? The reality is, pigs don’t sweat. It is this particular fact of their biology that is responsible for all of the bad press pigs get. Sweating helps to reduce body temperature and pigs’ sweat glands are inefficient for the task. In order to lower body temperature and find relief from heat, pigs wallow in mud. Pigs are very sensitive to heat; they can become sunburned and suffer from heat stroke, so water and mud are essential to their well being in the summer months. Many animals in the wild take mud and dirt baths: elephants, zebras and birds are just a few, but none have the reputation of the pig. Pigs are clean and even fastidious when it comes to hygiene. They do not live or sleep in mud, and they will not eat or sleep in the same area they use to urinate or defecate.

On the other hand, pigs are also some of our most beloved characters of childhood; Wilbur, Porky, Miss Piggy, and The Three Little Pigs have delighted and instructed us with tales of industriousness, ingenuity and love. In many cultures pigs are symbols of good luck and prosperity, yet if we label someone “a pig” the term is derogatory. It stands to reason that our relationship with the pig is a diverse one; they were among the first animals domesticated as early as 10,000 B.C.

Fossils indicate that wild pig like animals date back 40 million years. Until recently it was believed that pigs were domesticated in the Near and Far east and then transported throughout the world through trade and human migration. DNA studies have proven that pigs were domesticated independently as many as seven separate times. Pigs were introduced into the New World, by Columbus on his second voyage to the Indies in the 15th century. Of all of the animals introduced in the Americas, pigs adapted and multiplied the quickest. The environment was perfectly suited for pigs, shade, abundant food and a lack of natural predators.

According to the National Pork Board, Hernando de Soto is most likely responsible for the American pork industry. He brought North America’s first 13 pigs when he landed at Tampa Bay, Florida in 1539. Pigs were an important part of the Spanish explorers retinues; they traveled well, bred easily and were useful in establishing early settlements. De Soto gave pigs as gifts to the chiefs of local Native American tribes and soon discovered they had a taste for pork. So much so, that they resorted to pig-napping on occasion. In the 3 years before his death, De Soto’s pig herd grew to over 700. Between his herd and the local tribes cultivation, pigs began to flourish. The feral razorback, which is found in the southern woodlands of the US, is almost certainly a descendent of the 16th century explorer’s herd. By 1660 the colonies had tens of thousand’s of pigs. At the end of the 17th century, an average farmer owned four or five pigs providing a steady supply of salt pork and bacon for his family. When the Revolutionary war ended and pioneers began to migrate westward, they took their pigs with them. As the herds in the West grew, the need for facilities to process pork products became apparent. Processing and packing plants began appearing in major cities like Cincinnati, which became known as Porkopolis because the highest volume of pork was packed there as opposed to any other city in the mid-west.Pigs are not only raised for food, but pigskin leather and pork by products is used for everything from handbags, clothing, shoes, adhesives, fertilizers, bone china, and even medicines. Pork is the number one meat eaten in the world. China is the country that produces and consumes the most pork. The United States, consumes an average of 51 lbs of pork per person, per year. It is third in terms of popularity behind beef and chicken. Because of new technology, the U.S. is capable of record productivity, which ensures that the quality of U.S. pork is at the highest level than at any time in history. Today’s pork contains nearly one-third less fat AND costs 20 percent less than it did 20 years ago.There are three types of domestic pigs raised: Lard, meat, and bacon. Lard pigs have a high proportion of body fat yet are compactly built. Meat pigs are the most popular type raised in the U.S. because they have an even proportion of muscle to body fat, which allows them to reach a large marketable weight without excess fat. Bacon pigs are fed grains, root crops and dairy products instead of corn. These types of feed produce less fat and superior bacon.

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