Boar –  An uncastrated male pig of more than six months of age.

Barrow/Hog – castrated male

Baconer – A pig reared to produce bacon. This is normally around 80-100kg, and reached between eight and ten months of age.

Bagging up – the increased size of the teats in preparation of milk production

Cutter – A pig reared to produce larger joints of meat, ranging somewhere between 76 – 85 kg.

Dead weight – the given total weight of a pig after slaughter

Farrow – to give birth

Gestation –  The length of a pregnancy. Generally, this is three months, three weeks and three days. (114 to 116 days)

Gilt – young female pig who has not yet had a litter

Hogging/Brimming – Female pig in season/on heat

Litter – the produce of the farrowing (group of piglets)

Live weight – the given total weight of a pig alive

Parity –  The number of litters a sow has carried (including current pregnancy) e.g. a second parity sow is in pig and has just weaned her second litter.

Porker –  A pig reared to produce pork. This is normally around 60kg, and reached between four and six months of age (depending on breed).

Piglet – young pig still suckling from the sow

Pig creep – Highly palatable, easily digestible feed offered to piglets while suckling normally around 10 to 14 days of age

Pig nuts/Concentrates – a balanced dry feed in the form of pellets

Returned service – Sow re-served after a previous unsuccessful mating.

Runt – Smallet piglet in the litter

Service – Mating/s within the same oestrus period.

Service date –  date of first mating during any one oestrus period (counted as day 0).

Sow –  A female pig who has given birth to its first litter.

Stores – 10 to 12 weeks of age

Weaner – piglets separated from the sow at eight weeks and no longer feeding from the sow