Domestication: Taming Animals & Plants for Resources - Essay Sample

Introduction

Domestication can be defined as the process of keeping an animal or pet on a farm or the operation of taming an animal. It can also be defined as the process of adapting a plant or animal from its wild or natural state. It is a continuous generational relation where a group of living organisms takes up a degree of influence over the care and reproduction of another group of living organisms to obtain as a secure supply of resources from the second group. The first vertebrate animal to be domesticated was the dog, and the primary purpose for taming was for protection. Among birds, the chicken is the most domesticated animal; it benefits humans with eggs and meat(Dimberly, 2017). The domesticated traits that were considered in the past before domesticating an animal or plant were all similar and fixed; the main factor being considered was the dangers of breeding the animal. The paper will look at the domestication of the pig in detail.

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The main reason why plants and animals are domesticated is for the benefits the animals give, for example, food, work, clothing, and many other benefits. Domestication was mainly triggered by the environmental and climatic changes that occurred in the past. Hence, human beings could not rely on only wild plants and animals for food and had to look for other options. Some of the animals that are domesticated include pigs, dogs, sheep, horses, chicken, and turkey. Plants that are bred include maize, barley olive, barley, grapes, squash, and rice. As a result of domestication, the output of livestock, crop plants, and pets has become reproductive as compared to the wild animals.

Domestication syndrome can be defined as the collection of phenotypic traits and characteristics of animals that are associated with the genetic change of the animal from a wild animal to one that can be domesticated. Some of the features include the fact that domestic animals are tamer, have floppier ears, infantile faces with smaller jaws, and also have patches of white fur. As compared to wild animals, domestic animals are tame and are not as dangerous as wild animals. Also, most domestic animals have reduced forebrains, which may be an indirect effect of the neural changes as a result of domestication since chemical impulses are sent to their brain and hence the brain development. Human beings in the past, therefore, used some of these characteristics to identify animals that could be domesticated.

Pigs belong to the genus Sus, the family of Suidae. They are omnivorous animals that feed by rooting and scavenging. Pigs were first domesticated in the Near East between 8500 and 8000 BC, after which they were taken to Europe by agriculturalists. It was among the first animals to be domesticated, and the wild boar was the most common domesticated pig. As the years went by, the different types of pigs interbred, and new forms of pigs were formed. For instance, European pigs were improved by interbreeding them with Asian pigs in the 18th and early 19th centuries. The pathways to domestication included changes in the brain size of the pigs. A study of feral pigs, for instance, showed that there was an increase in the brain size after the animals were domesticated. The feeding behavior of the pigs has also changed as compared to that of the wild pigs. The sequencing technologies and genotyping have enabled the revealment of many complex histories in domestication, for instance, for pigs. As a result of domestication, the genes of the pigs have been affected and have changed over the years.

Some of the changes that can be traced are the divergence of the Asian and European pigs. As a result of interbreeding between the two types of pigs from the different continents, a new breed was formed and hence changes in the genetics. The independent domestication of pigs also led to the separate clades. The conditions of domestication sharply differed between the two continents. For instance, the pigs that were domesticated in Asia were kept at proximity, and they often interacted with the people in their settlements(Vashchenko 2017).

On the other hand, the pigs in Europe were allowed to roam freely in forested areas. This later on changed in Europe, where a stricter method of domesticating the pigs had to be adopted since they were a higher demand for pork, and hence the pigs needed to be closely watched. Compared to their wild counterparts, there is a reduction of the genetic diversity of the domesticated pigs due to domestication.

Pigs were domesticated by human beings and mainly farmers. The farmers separated the pigs from their wild counterparts and then bred them for their favorable characteristics such as size, meatiness, and tameness(How The Wild Boar Became The Sweet Domestic Pig 2020). They did so by selecting animals that looked more like pigs and not boars since boars were wild as compared to pigs. In America, for instance, Hernando de Sato was considered to be the first man to introduce pigs in the country, and he is given the title " father of the American pork industry." He first brought in 13 pigs, and as the herds grew, the pigs were not only for reared for the eating of their fresh meat but also inventions were made to preserve the flesh, for instance, by the use of salt. Two main types of pigs have then developed the first being a breed, which was characterized by floppy years, was large, and produced vast amounts of lard. The second type of kind was had characteristics such as erect ears and smaller years and was mainly reared for meat.

Due to the domestication and interbreeding of pigs, many breeds of pigs were developed. The American Yorkshire pig is a type that originated in England. It is also known as the bacon breed, as it produces a high percentage of lean meat used in bacon. The Berkshire pig is another type and is one of the oldest breeds. They are known for their easy-going personality, and that is why some people even consider keeping them as pets in the house. Tamworth breed is a smaller size as compared to other kinds, and there are also famous for the production of bacon due to their lean meat. The large black pig is also a breed that is known for its adaptability and hardiness. This type of pig has floppy ears that fall over their eyes, which some people consider to be cute. The Chester white pig is the most preferred pigs by farmers for reasons such as they make great mothers, and also they live long . just as the name suggests, they are white and have spots. The landrace pig is a breed that originated from Denmark, and they are also known for living long lives.

The primary product of pigs is meat. Pigs are mainly domesticated for their pork. It can be eaten when it is both fresh and when it is preserved. According to some reports, pigs are the most eaten animals in the world. The pork is then used as part of the ingredients for sausages, ham, and bacon. Pork is rich in thiamine, zinc, vitamins, phosphorous, and also iron (Leveille. 2016 ). It is for these reasons that many people like pork and even for the fact that it is delicious. There are, however, some communities that ban the eating of pork for various reasons. For instance, the Jewish religious law forbids the consumption of pork-based on the biblical beliefs that pigs were unclean since they ate waste. There was also fear that there are diseases that come from eating pork. Muslims are also against the consumption of pork as they claim that it is against their culture and religion. Due to this, the consumption of pork in Muslim countries is usually very low.

The secondary products of pigs include pig lard, which removed from the abdomen of a pig. The fat is then used to manufacture shaving creams, makeup, baked goods, soaps, and other items. The hard hair of pigs is also used to make brushes; for instance, paint brushes are mainly made from the hair of pigs. Also, a type of fertilizer called tambourine is manufactured from the hair of the pig, which is fist processed. Also, the thick fur of pigs is used to make train brakes. These, among many, are the uses of the secondary product of pigs that is its hair.

Pigs are, however, associated with some health complications, and therefore people are advised not to eat pork or any products of the pig. The pork products usually are loaded with a lot of fat that can, therefore, clog the arteries if a lot of the products are consumed. These pork products are also associated with diseases such as heart disease, arthritis, diabetes asthma, impotence, Alzheimer's, and even osteoporosis (Reynnells 2016). Pork is a type of red meat, and it is associated with saturated fats, which then creates a possibility of one's cholesterol-raising after the consumption of pork. Consumption of pork may also lead to one developing Hepatitis E, which is caused by eating of the liver of the pig. There are, therefore, some health conditions that are associated with the consumption of pork, which makes pork unhealthy.

The modern husbandry practices of rearing pigs are the construction of farms with a lot of grass and soil and then putting large fences. The area should be large so that the pigs can roam off easily and comfortably. Since the adult pigs are very strong, poles should be used, and since pigs can also dig, the poles should be deeply dug into the ground. The pigs may also be reared on a hut of burn where the barns are made of concrete. The concrete floors should be made to slope this way it becomes easier for the farmers to clean the floors. In modern husbandry, the health of the pigs is highly considered since for a farmer to be successful in rearing the animals; they must be in good health for him to get a lot of profit(Das et al. 2016). There has therefore been evolvement of the practices of animal husbandry over the years, and pig rearing remains to be a very profitable business.

Domestication can be defined as the process of keeping an animal or pet on a farm or the operation of taming an animal Pig domestication therefore started a long time ago and has been practiced over the years. For animals to be tamed there were a number of factors that human beings considered and included the presence of white spots on the animal and also if the animal's nature was tame. The main primary product of pigs is pork and the secondary product is lard and the skin of the pig. pork is rich in vitamins, iron and other types of minerals. Pork can cause a number of health complications for instance heart disease and high blood pressure.

References

Das, Samares Kumar, Saidur Rahman, T. C. Tolenkhomba, and Prasanta Saikia 2016Profile Of Self Help Groups (Shgs) And Their Members Engaged In Pig Rearing Activity In Mizoram. International Journal Of Bio-Resource And Stress Management 7(5). Puspa Publishing House: 1186-1191.

DIMBLEBY, G. W 2017Domestication, And Exploitation Of Plants And Animals. [Place of publication not identified]: ROUTLEDGE.

G. Leveille. 2016 Fat Content And Composition Of Animal Products. Washington: National Academy Of Scien.

How The Wild Boar Became The Sweet Domestic Pig 2020Thoughtco. https://www.thoughtco.com/the-domestication-of-pigs-170665, accessed April 16 , 2020.

Reynnells, Richard D 2016Proceedings, Symposium On Swine Housing And Well-Being, P.O.R.K. Academy 2002, Kent Feeds. Beltsville, Md.: U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, National Agricultural Library, Animal Welfare Information Center.

Vashchenko, O. 2017SOMBINATIONAL ABILITY OF SPECIALIZED BREEDS AND TYPES OF PIGS IN INDUSTRIAL CROSSBREEDING. Animal Breeding And Genetics 53. Publishing House of National Academy Agrarian Sciences of Ukraine: 84-90.