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What is a Micro-Mini Pig?
by Nancy Shepherd
Size is an issue that breeders continually
contend with. The pet market demands a small
pig. What is so interesting me as a past
commercial pig breeder, is that people think
a ninety pound potbelly is BIG. Just let
that person come to the farm and check out a
seven hundred pound sow. This commercial sow
will be as docile and sweet as the ninety
pound potbelly sow, there's just a whole lot
more of her.
What is a micro-mini pig? What is a tea cup
pig? What is a miniature potbellied pig?
Unfortunately, the use of the word
miniature has been misinterpreted since the
beginning of the potbellied pig revolution.
What I mean by miniature is that compared to a
commercial hog a potbellied pig is much, much
smaller. A three year old commercial sow
will weigh as much as eight hundred pounds.
Compare this to a three-year--old potbellied
pig sow weighing ninety pounds. (Remember,
your pig is not full grown until around three
years of age.) Potbellied pigs are naturally
small. By selectively breeding smaller pigs,
the resulting offspring will eventually
become smaller. Potbellied pig breeders are
involved in this long, arduous process and
in due time there may be an actual miniature
potbellied pig.
Personally, I have yet to see a micro-mini or
tea cup pig. The claim that a full-grown pig
is only six inches tall is inconceivable to
me. You must remember that I'm from
Missouri, the Show Me State; and, to date I
have not seen a pig this size. The unusually
small pigs I have seen appeared unhealthy and
stunted, lacking good bone structure, proper
conformation, and good general body
condition.
I would love to find a reliable breeder who
could produce with consistency a smaller
potbellied pig with excellent conformation
and good bone. Breeders in the industry are
striving to attain just this goal. But the
general public need not be misled. they
should expect that a mature, purebred,
potbellied pig
to weigh between 60 and 175 pounds. This is
smaller in dimension than many house dogs.
People get so hung up on the weight of a pet
pig. The issue should not be the pounds of
the pig, but her health, movement, and social
versatility in terms of how she will fit into
one's lifestyle.
A potbellied pig continues to grow for at
least two to three years. Current belief is
that the average purebred (not crossbred),
healthy, mature, three year old potbellied
pig can weigh from 60 to 175 pounds and
measure from 13 to 26 inches in height, with
the length being proportional to the height.
Certainly, there are a few potbellied who
will be small or larger than this normal
range.
Serious breeders will continue to work at the
task of producing quality potbellied pigs who
demonstrate sound conformation and good
disposition, along with characteristics that
are pleasing and make for a healthy
potbellied pig.
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