Pignoscenti nationwide, rejoice!
After months of research and testing, Swine and Dine, Inc. has finally announced the availability of pig’s milk for commercial sale.
It is notoriously difficult to extract milk from sows, which have an average of 14 teats, far more than their bovine counterparts. In addition, the duration of milk flow is only 10 to 20 seconds, which means the yield from a pig is often low and unpredictable.
Swine and Dine’s innovative pig milking machine, dubbed the “Super Suckler,” harnesses the full milking potential of pigs through a patented harness system that attaches to pigs and stimulates them to lactate more frequently. The lightweight harness does not impede the pig’s range or otherwise constrict its movements.
Marc Dalaker, a pig farmer from Pennsylvania, responded with excitement to the news: “I’ve been waiting for this for years! I mean, we all know that bacon, sausage and pork belly are some of the greatest gifts to man. Imagine just how great milk from a pig would be!”
Indeed, analysis of pig’s milk reveals that it typically has a fat content of 8.5%, compared to 3.5% for cow’s milk and 5-6% for goats. Initial reactions from a panel of taste testers were positive. “It’s rich but not overly cloying, and it has a pleasant, fresh aroma with a hint of sweet corn and maple syrup,” said Rebecca Demaris. “I think it’d be a great addition to your morning coffee or breakfast cereal.”
The pig milk will be rolled out over the next week at select specialty shops and farmer’s markets in the Northeast corridor. A quart-size container will be sold for $5.95. Additional plans are in the works for a line of pig’s milk products, including porcorino cheese, porchata (a cinnamon and swine-spiced variant on horchata), porkgurt (yogurt), and pig’s milk butter.
In related news, Smithfield Farms, the largest producer of pork products in the world, announced that it would halt the use of prophylactic antibiotics in their factory farms, as there was a verified report of a pig flying.
