WILD RUSSIAN HOGS
Also Known as Wild Boar Hogs
History of Feral
Hogs
The
original range of wild boar was Eurasia and North Africa from Ireland to Japan
and southern Scandinavia to Egypt.
Russian wild boars were first brought
into the United States in New Hampshire in 1890. Feral hogs (Sus scrofa) are of
the family Suidae. There are 3 types of wild hogs in the United States: feral
hogs, Eurasian wild boar (Russian), and hybrids of these two types.
The
photo to the left is a male hog.
Appearance of Russian Boars
Wild boar look very different from domestic pigs. Russian boar is usually light
brown or black with a cream or tan color on the tips of the bristles. Its underside
is lighter in color and its legs, ears and tail are darker than the rest of the
coat. Wild hogs stay warm in winter due to their thick woolen under coat.
Five inch long bristles called split guard hairs run from the head along
the center of the back, and can be raised two to three inches from the body when
excited. Its bristles are the longest of the three types of wild hogs.
Wild boar have very long, thin snouts. The snout is used to dig in soil for bugs,
roots, and plant bulbs. Pure Russian boars have longer legs and snouts and their
head to body ratio is much greater than a feral hog. They have short, straight
tails with tufts at the tips. A domestic pig or a wild hog with Chinese genes
has a curly tail. A feral hog’s head is large with small, pointed and heavily
furred ears. Russian hogs are big in the shoulders and slope down to small hips,
making them have an outline similar to American bison.
The photo above
is a female Russian hog with her mixed breed baby. The baby is half Wild Russian
and half Black Guinea hog.
Biology of Russian Hogs
The usual life expectancy of a feral hog is 6 to 8 years. Wild Boar or Russian
Boar weigh around 400 pounds when fully mature at 4 to 5 years old. Like horses
and cows, the age of a wild hog is best determined by the number and wear of the
molars.
Wild Russian hogs can breed with domestic hogs. A feral sow reaches
breeding age at 7 or 8 months. The average litter of a sow is 4-6 depending upon
how much food is available. Mature sows can have as many as 10 boarlets. Sows
can have 3 litters per year with ideal conditions but 2 litters are more common.
Gestation is 114 days.
Wild piglets, called watermelons, weigh almost
2 pounds at birth. They are light brown and have 6 brown stripes and 5 black stripes
down the length of their back (like a chipmunk) until the age of 4 months. Sows
raise their boarlets communally with any boarlet nursing on any sow ith milk.
A hog’s sense of smell is exceptional. It rivals any other wild animal in
the woods. They were used in France to smell out truffles, a type of mushroom
that grows 3 feet underground. Their sense of hearing is highly developed. Their
field of vision is poor because their head is close to the ground. They can’t
raise it up as much as other animals. However, they see well if their view is
not blocked. At over 100 yards hogs are capable of distinguishing a human friend
or stranger. They come towards a friend and run from a stranger. All hogs are
very intelligent. Undoubtedly they are the most intelligent animal in the woods.
Wild hogs are omnivores- they eat both plants and animals.
Good for Eating
An old time
saying is a hog is finished growing when you can pick it up by the ears and the
head and body are equal in size. If the head tips down, you let them grow a little
more. Wild boar are market-ready at 180 to 200 pounds. They will reach this weight
between 14 and 18 months depending on food intake. Some people butcher them at
60 to 80 pounds. They yield a low fat, red meat.
Russian
Wild Hogs at Nantahala Farm
We
have only one female Wild Russian hog. We do not have any male Wild Russian hogs.
Therefore, we will never have any full-blooded Wild Russian hogs for sale.
The photo to the left is 4 babies that are half Wild Russian (the mother)
and half Black American Guinea Hog (the father) at 1 month old. They are no longer
available.
The photo below is a 6 month old male who is half Wild Russian
and half Black Guinea Hog (American Guinea Hog). He is no longer available.
See the home page for what is available for sale now. You can ask to be put
on a waiting list if we don't have any listed as available on the home page.
Farm
and Health Books for Sale