Mulefoot facts for kids
| Conservation status | Critically rare |
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| Country of origin | Spain |
| Traits | |
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The Mulefoot is a special kind of domestic pig. It's named "Mulefoot" because its hooves look like a mule's! Unlike most pigs, their hooves are solid and not split into two parts. This makes them quite unique among pigs.
Contents
What Makes Mulefoot Pigs Special?
Mulefoot pigs are usually black. Sometimes, they might have a few white spots.
- They have long snouts that point downwards a bit.
- Their ears can stand up straight or be a little floppy.
- They have short, shiny hair.
- Their faces look a bit like a wild boar's face.
These pigs can grow quite large. They usually weigh between 400 to 600 pounds (about 180 to 270 kg). Male pigs often weigh around 550 pounds (250 kg). Female pigs are a bit smaller, usually about 450 pounds (200 kg).
Mulefoot Pig Families
Female Mulefoot pigs are known to be excellent mothers. They often have litters of about 5 to 6 piglets at a time.
Where Do Mulefoot Pigs Come From?
The Mulefoot pig likely came from pigs brought to the Gulf Coast by people from Spain. We don't know exactly when pigs with single hooves first appeared. However, the Mulefoot is the only group of pigs with solid hooves that is considered a true breed. This means they have a set of features that make them unique.
Early History
The Mulefoot breed might be related to the Choctaw hog. They may share a similar family tree. The Spanish pigs were mostly left to roam freely. But some selective breeding (choosing which pigs to breed to get certain traits) happened. This continued into the late 1800s.
Around 1900, people started setting up rules for what a Mulefoot pig should look like. At this time, the breed was mostly found in the Corn Belt and the Mississippi River Valley areas of the United States.
Peak Popularity and Decline
The early 1900s were the most popular time for Mulefoot pigs. There were over 200 purebred herds. There were also two groups dedicated to the breed. Some Mulefoots were even sent to Canada. But those pigs did not stay there.
In the middle of the 20th century, the number of Mulefoot pigs started to drop. By 1964, a breeder named R.M. Holiday from Louisiana, Missouri, started the last purebred herd. He bought pigs from all the known purebred breeders. He used selective breeding to keep the breed's special features.
Saving the Breed
By 1976, the official records for the breed were closed. Important information like family trees was lost. In 1993, Mark Fields and the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy (now The Livestock Conservancy) worked with Mr. Holiday. They wanted to restart the breed's records. They also wanted to help more farms raise these special pigs.
As of 2013, The Livestock Conservancy says the Mulefoot is "critically endangered." This means there are fewer than 2,000 of them. Also, fewer than 200 new pigs are registered each year. In 2006, it was thought there were fewer than 200 purebred Mulefoot pigs left.
Maveric Ranch took over helping the Mulefoot breed in 2006. Since then, they have helped place breeding groups on over 40 farms across the USA. This helps make sure these unique pigs continue to exist.
