Choctaw hog facts for kids
| Conservation status | Critically rare breed |
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| Country of origin | United States |
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The Choctaw Hog is a special kind of pig. It was traditionally raised by Native American people. Today, there are only a few hundred of these pigs left. Most of them live in the area of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma. An organization called the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy says the Choctaw Hog is "critically rare." This means it is very important to protect them.
Contents
History of the Choctaw Hog
The Choctaw Hog's ancestors came from Spain. Spaniards brought these pigs to the Americas starting in the 1500s. For over 300 years, these pigs were used by Native Americans and European settlers. They were common in the Southeastern United States.
Migration to Oklahoma
In the early 1800s, the Choctaw people moved from the Deep South to Oklahoma Territory. The United States government forced many tribes to move in 1830. These tribes, known as the Five Civilized Tribes, brought their hogs with them.
An old paper from 1858 shows that Choctaw people valued their hogs. It mentions a wish to sell "all the hogs running at the home place." The Choctaw Hogs we see today are descendants of these Oklahoma pigs. Their look has not changed much in 150 years.
What Makes Choctaw Hogs Special?
Choctaw Hogs have unique features from their Spanish ancestors. These features help tell them apart from other pigs.
Mulefoot Toes
One special trait is their toes. Often, their toes are joined together. This forms a single hoof, much like a mule's hoof. Another pig breed, the mulefoot, shares this trait. Both breeds might come from the same early Spanish pigs.
Neck Wattles
Many Choctaw Hogs also have fleshy wattles. These are small, soft growths that hang on each side of their necks.
Size and Appearance
These pigs are usually black, but some may have white spots. They are relatively small for a domestic pig, weighing about 120 pounds. Wild pigs, called feral hogs, are more common. However, the Choctaw Hog is a "pure Spanish breed." This means they are different from other wild hogs. Choctaw Hogs are quick and strong. They have heavy front bodies. It is clear that these pigs are "built for survival" in the wild.
How Choctaw Hogs Are Raised
The Choctaw tribe still raises these pigs in Oklahoma. These hogs need little care. They are often allowed to roam freely on open land. They find their own food, like acorns, berries, invertebrates, and roots.
Rounding Up Hogs
From time to time, the hogs are gathered up. People use trained dogs to help with this. The dogs help to round up the pigs. Then, the pigs are marked and sorted. A common dog used for this is the Catahoula Leopard dog. This dog also likely came from Spain.
Choctaw Hogs can become very tame if kept in pens. But in the wild, they are very fast and agile. People are often "amazed at the speed and agility of Choctaw hogs."
Why They Are Rare
Pigs raised for sale are often fed corn to make them fatter. This makes them more valuable. However, Choctaw Hogs do not have a very valuable "market carcass." This means their meat is not as popular for modern pork production.
Modern pig farming focuses on raising white hogs for lean pork. This makes the old Spanish breeds, like the Choctaw Hog, very rare. Because there is not much money to be made from them, fewer people want to help save them. There is also no official list of Choctaw Hogs. This makes their conservation even more important.
