Pig farms in northern Illinois range in size from a couple of pigs to a couple of thousand pigs.

Here are some words that will help you understand the different terms for pigs:

• Sow: an adult female pig which has had at least 1 litter
  
  
• Piglets: baby pigs.
  
  
• Gilt: a female pig before her first litter.
  
  
• Feeder Pigs: 8-10 week old pigs that are specifically fed out for market.
  
  
• Boar: an intact adult male pig
  
  
• Barrow: a castrated adult male pig

There are many different breeds of pigs. Some of the breeds are: Hampshire, Duroc, Yorkshire, Landrace, and cross breeds of these. There are also specialized breeds developed by breeding companies such as DeKalb/Monsanto and PIC.

We interviewed Marlin Anderson who is a pig farmer in northern Illinois and Dave Benson who is an animal nutrition/feed specialist for an AG cooperative in Northern Illinois. Below is a list of questions that we asked. Just click on the question and you will find the answer.

• What are piglets fed?
  
  
• What are adult pigs fed?
  
  
• How big is a litter of pigs?
  
  
• What size and age are pigs when they are sent to the market?
  
  
• Do you start with your own piglets or do you get them from somewhere else?
  
  
• Do you keep some pigs that are used to produce more pigs?
  
  
• What products come from pigs?
  
  
• Are pigs smart animals?
  
  
• What kind of shelter do pigs live in?
  
  
• Do pigs like to roll in the mud?
  
  
• What is involved in the daily routine of caring for pigs?