Sows vs. Market Pigs

Understanding the Difference of Sows and Market Pigs

Market Pigs

Maximizing efficiency and reducing waste is a concern for every industry. Pigs grow and mature at a quick rate, and many farmers consider a pig ready for harvest when they reach a weight of around 250-270 lbs. Pigs at this weight are considered market pigs, butcher pigs or butcher hogs. Pigs can easily grow larger than market weight, but raising market pigs gives industrial farmers the best return on the resources used to feed and maintain their herd. Incorporating efficient and sustainable practices into pig farming not only benefits the industry but also contributes to the broader goal of resource conservation. 

Sows and Boars

While market pigs play an important part in providing a food source, pigs such as sows and boars are essential for a sustainable harvest cycle. You may be asking yourself about the distinction between sows, boars, and hogs, as there is often confusion regarding these terms. A hog is a general term for any domestic swine weighing over a specific weight of 54kgs.  Boars are male pigs that are used for breeding and sows are female pigs that have given birth to a litter of piglets. If a female pig has not given birth to a litter, they are called gilt pigs. Sows and boars can reach sizes much larger than market pigs and are more physically mature than market pigs.

Harvesting pigs for biological materials in addition to a food source helps create a sustainable supply chain. After pigs are processed for food, porcine materials and tissues are harvested to a wide range of industries, including research labs and medical facilities. Porcine materials play a pivotal role in the research and creation of medical and biological innovations that improve the lives of humans and animals alike.

What makes an ideal Market Pig  

• Efficient growth rate and feed conversion, ensuring timely market readiness and cost-effective production. 

• Well-developed musculature and uniformity in size, contributing to high meat yield and consistent quality. 

• Good health and genetic traits for adaptability, enhancing overall production efficiency and consumer satisfaction. 

Sows vs. Market Pigs at SSR

At SSR, we primarily harvest porcine materials from animal sows and pigs, which can give additional benefits to the co-products produced. Sows are larger, stronger, and more mature compared to the market pigs, potentially giving their tissues advantages over younger specimens. Also, their larger size allows for significantly increased yields of sow meat and other products, resulting in more substantial harvests with fewer animals.  

The creation of pig co-products and the harvesting of porcine meat and materials provide an effective partnership between agricultural and scientific industries to promote the reduction of waste products while aiding in the creation of new research and medical materials. The successful collaborations in pig harvesting show that sustainability isn’t a far off dream, but an achievable goal.