Colorado Reader
AG in the Classroom - Helping the Next Generation Understand Their Connection to Agriculture
Food, Fiber and Natural Resource Literacy
Colorado Foundation for Agriculture - www.growingyourfuture.com
Pigs, Hogs, Swine . . .
A domesticated animal is one that has
been tamed by humans and kept as a work
animal, for food or as a pet. Through selective
breeding these animals have become
different than their wild ancestor. Pigs were
domesticated about 13,000 BC . Pigs were
used for food. Early civilizations also used the
pigs’ hides for shields, bones for tools and
weapons, and bristles for brushes. Pigs were brought to southeastern North
America from Europe by de Soto and other
early Spanish explorers. Today there are over
60,000 pork producers and over 110 million
hogs in the United States. These farmers
produce 22 billion pounds of pork.
Colorado Ag in the Classroom 1
www.growingyourfuture.com