Giant Pigs the Size of Polar Bears

[left-of-center2012]

The 1,102 pound, animal is part of a herd that’s being bred to become giant swine. At slaughter, some of the pigs can sell for more than $1,399, over three times higher than the average monthly disposable income in Nanning, China, the capital of Guangxi province where Pang Cong, the farm’s owner, lives.

While Pang’s pigs may be an extreme example of the lengths farmers are going to fill China’s swelling pork shortage problem, the idea that bigger is better has been spreading across the country, home to the world’s most voracious consumers of the meat.

The large swine are being bred during a desperate time for China. With African swine fever decimating the nation’s hog herd -- in half, by some estimates -- prices of pork have soared to record levels, leading the government to urge farmers to boost production to temper inflation.



https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-10-06/china-is-breeding-giant-pigs-the-size-of-polar-bears?srnd=premium
............................................................

When I was a kid we’d butcher two hogs every winter.

My dad would cut one up into chops, hams, etc
and use the second one mostly for homemade breakfast (sage) sausage.

We had a huge freezer.

[lapfog_1]

1. My family would trade with some neighbors

for 1/2 of a cow every year... cut into steaks, hamburger, roasts...

and, yeah, we had a big freezer too.

[berni_mccoy]

2. Growing up on farms in Ohio, I've butchered and animal or two

And I would not want to take on A pig that size. I’ve reduced considerably the amount of meat I consume, primarily to reduce environmental impact. Not going vegetarian or vegan, but the amount of animal produce we consume is probably less than 25% of what we consumed even 4-5 years ago.

[Zambero]

3. Pigs are smart

And capable of inflicting serious injury to humans as well. Domesticity notwithstanding, more than a few tenders have been overpowered and been had for lunch, quite the turnaround. I wouldn't want that one turning on me!

[underpants]

4. Wonder how that's going to work out for the pig.

Old joke about a ham and cheese omelette - the cow and the chicken were involved but the pig was COMMITTED

[Claritie Pixie]

5. It's icky we do this to animals - intelligent animals - for the sheer purpose of slaughter.

We slaughter them for our own sensory pleasure, not for survival.

I'm not trying to start an argument about eating meat. I just don't agree with the premise.

[Coventina]

6. Couldn't agree more. It's disgusting!

[UniteFightBack]

7. I'm sure they'll be bred to be so large they can't even move. Humans exploitation. Eat less meat

[FakeNoose]

11. The Chinese have a lot of people to feed

Most of their native dishes contain a high percentage of vegetables of different types, not much meat. However all human beings need protein of one kind or another. I'm not a vegetarian but I have cut way back on meat consumption over the years.

[Doremus]

12. It's not necessary to eat meat to be healthy.

In fact you'll probably be even more healthy without meat.

https://idarousse.com/charts_rm.php

[FakeNoose]

13. Yes I know!

[CountAllVotes]

15. Reason to cut way down or stop is the cost

Not many can afford to pay $40 for a steak.

Luckily, I never cared much for meat.

Pricey!

[Mosby]

16. The average chinese person eats 122 pounds of pork per year.

They eat more meat than any other country in the fucking world. 75 million tons per YEAR.

They also produce more greenhouse gasses than anyone. Which is why climate change is a foregone conclusion.

[dhill926]

17. Kind of what we do to...

chickens and turkeys now...

[MoonRiver]

8. Sickening!

I've been to China two times. The restaurants there think pork is a vegetable. When you order vegan or vegetarian, which I always did, you still get pork pieces in the dish. After they have to redo the order they start to learn. I don't understand their obsession with pork.

[CountAllVotes]

9. The sort of thing sickens me

How much inbreeding was done to achieve this great *goal*?

How much pork do they need anyway?

I'm not a big fan of said substance either!


And we don't even care to discuss what this does to the animal itself!

[MoonRiver]

14. Meat eating is barbaric in so many ways.

[zackymilly]

10. A walking GMO. n/t