They call me Mr. Pig! Trivia Quiz

Answer: Farrowing

The other three are used by humans to bring children into the world. Pigs use the birthing method called farrowing, in which the sow is kept in a small pen, enough so she can turn, but not enough that she can squish and, as gross as it might seem, eat her babies, who are known as piglets. However, some of Mr. Pig's litter will not survive, despite all our attempts to help.

Answer: Barrow

A boar is an unneutered male, a gilt is an unbred female, and a sow is a female who has had a litter. Most fairs will only take barrows for market and gilts for breeding. Sows and boars are, generally, not allowed in most fairs.

Answer: Litter and pig number

In pig ear notches, the right ear is the litter number, and the left ear is the pig number, in relation to when it was caught for notching. The litter number is useful in record keeping, so we know when he was born. Mr. Pig needs to be five months old for our fair, meaning he was born in March for a fair in August.

Answer: Protein

We don't want to give Mr. Pig fats, because then he'll get fat instead of muscle! Vegetables and fruits are good as treats, but we don't want to give him too many of those either. For our food mixture, we'll use ground corn and concentrate made from soybeans and vitamins and minerals, including our protein.

Answer: Yes

Walking Mr. Pig is a very good idea, as it will help him get the exercise he needs without letting him get sunburned! A sunburned pig is not good, even for dark-skinned animals. A good time to walk Mr. Pig, especially during the summer, is in the evening when the sun is not as intense and the heat is lower.

Answer: Clean it

When the pen starts to smell, it's been left for too long! It's a good idea to clean Mr. Pig's pen before it starts to smell. All other options are bad ideas while the pen is dirty, and the flies will need no help to get in. All three incorrect options can bring in disease, which we don't want Mr. Pig to get.

Answer: Call the vet

Calling the vet is the best option, unless you're a vet yourself! Leaving him alone will worsen it, and in this case, he's likely to die rather than get over it. Isolating Mr. Pig is not a good idea, especially if he's already in a pen by himself. Pigs are very social creatures, needing contact with others of their species, or else to make friends with other animals.

Answer: Turn on a radio

While pigs are not as flighty as, say, cattle, pigs still startle. And since Mr. Pig's been in a quiet barn most of his life, he might not take to being moved or having another animal intrude on his space. Turning on a radio to simulate the variety of noises found at a fair is a good way to help Mr. Pig become used to noise.

Answer: 10

An average litter can be anywhere from 8 to 14 piglets. Farmers are developing their animal husbandry in some countries such as Denmark, with litters now averaging 14 piglets and sows bearing over 30 piglets a year!

Answer: Thank the buyer and as many bidders as we can remember after caring for our animal

The best thing is to make sure that Mr. Pig has water and is sprayed down with water, especially if it's hot, then go and thank the buyer at the minimum. Most fairs have exhibitors send letters out to potential buyers, and many will at least bid on animals whose exhibitors sent them letters. It's a good idea to also thank those who bid on Mr. Pig.