What Is a Baby Pig Called?
A baby pig is called a “piglet.” The collective noun is a “litter” or “farrow” of piglets, and a piglet that has been weaned is called a “shote” or “shoat.”
A female pig is called a sow and is capable of birthing litters of seven to 12 piglets two times per year. A piglet weighs an average of 1.5 kilograms when born and generally doubles its weight in the first seven days of life.
Despite the common assumptions, pigs are actually very clean animals. They leave their living space to defecate elsewhere. Even newborn piglets leave when they have to relieve themselves.
Pigs prefer cold to heat because they have no sweat glands, so their bodies do not naturally cool themselves. Rolling around in the mud helps them cool their skin, and when the mud dries on their skin, it keeps them protected from the sun. Pigs prefer to spend time in water rather than in mud, and they are excellent swimmers.
Pigs are very intelligent, fast learners. They can learn tricks much more quickly than dogs, and some people prefer them as pets. They are classified as the fourth most intelligent animal. They are social animals and enjoy living closely with one another. They communicate with each other using grunts and snorts.
The suffix “-let” is a diminutive, showing that the noun it is attached to is in a smaller form. This can also be seen in words such as “booklet” and “droplet.” Pigs can have two litters a year, but the number of piglets produced depends on environmental factors and the breeds of the parents. Typically, large pigs breeding in optimum settings can have an average of eight to 12 piglets in one litter.
