As you probably know, humans love consuming every part of the pig, and there are probably hundreds of recipes out there that will guide you on how to cook different parts of the pig. And having tried many, I think we can agree that they are quite delicious.
Pigs have a great influence on our dietary life. To give you some perspective, you can think of any fast-food brand or restaurant, and I guarantee you they have some type of pork on their menu.
But despite the amount of pork we consume, it’s not common to see people consuming pig milk.
For this reason, in this article, we talk about pig milk and whether or not you should be drinking it.
Different factors influence why people don’t consume pig milk, but if you’re in a hurry, let me give you the short answer.
Why don’t we drink pig milk? There are several reasons for this; for example, there is no demand for pig milk, pig milk tastes even stronger than goat milk, but also milking a sow can be more challenging when compared to a cow.
To expand on my answer, let’s talk about demand. If you think about how everything starts, it’s with demand for a product; if people are not used to drinking pig milk, and if people are not looking for this type of milk, it will be quite difficult for farmers to innovate in this area.
Everything is difficult to make until someone is willing to pay. I can almost guarantee that if there was enough demand, people would find a way to milk the pigs, which is hard, and if they don’t, then it would be sold as a luxury product just like everything else that is quite difficult to find.
But again, there is no demand for it.
Regarding the taste, it can be quite strong, but just like cheese and other dairy products, you will just have to acquire a taste for it. Some will like it; others will not.
Now it is true that if there was more availability, this could cause a snowball effect, and demand could rise.
But the challenge is that sow can be quite aggressive if you try to milk them. And after the sow considers you their enemy, there is no way you can change that. So it would be quite difficult to get close to them again.
Let’s think of some technical issues for a moment; pigs have 14 teats when compared to the 4 of the cow. Only in that, there is a challenge because they will have to build some type of system to milk the pig that can take on 14 teats.
But also, sows don’t like to be milk, meaning they don’t like anyone getting close to them. And finally, they produce less milk than cows.
Also, the pig farm community is focused on pig production as it can be more profitable; a sow could give birth to two dozens of pig in a year which is not the case with a cow.
And let’s not forget that producing cheese from pig milk it’s quite difficult and expensive, not to say impossible.
Is Pig Milk Poisonous to Humans?
No, pig milk is not poisonous; it’s quite edible; the problem is finding it or producing it.
Pig milk is high in fat, about 8.5 % more when compared to cows, 3.9 %, but it’s an excellent source of nutrients. That can be eaten with whatever food you prefer consuming your milk.
Pigs milk is just like cow milk but with a stronger flavor.
Obviously, pig milk, just like cows, can go bad, so it’s important to make sure you proceed and drink fresh pig milk to keep yourself healthy.
Why Don’t We Make Cheese from Pigs Milk?
Trying to find pig milk is quite difficult but finding cheese made from pig milk is even harder.
The reason being is that first, you will have to spend hours milking the pigs just to get a few pounds of cheese; second, the cheese is creamy, salty, and quite expensive, meaning 2300 per kilogram. Yeah. I’m sure that will kill your desire to eat pigs cheese.
Is it possible? Yes, do some people do it? Yes, but we need more demand in order to make it more affordable and available.
Do People Drink Pig Milk?
Yes, like I’ve been saying, people do drink the pigs milk, the problem is that it’s no not available and most people haven’t tasted the pigs milk. In fact, I’m sure many don’t know that it’s even possible to do so.
This is the reason why we don’t see more of it. But it is safer for humans to drink pigs milk; as long as the pig is healthy, it’s fine to drink.
Where Can I Buy Pig Milk?
You can typically find this in your local whole foods market or farm market.
You can also ask for some of it in your local pig farms.
What Does Pig Milk Taste Like?
Pigs milk it’s quite gamy. Some compare the taste to goat milk, but even stronger.
So not all people will like it; some say you will need some time to acquire a taste for it.
But you can definitely eat it, and I guess you will have to give it a try to see if you really like it. I suggest trying it a few times and let’s see how it goes.
Conclusion: Why Don’t We Drink Pig Milk?
Pigs milk is quite hard to produce, sow are more aggressive when compared to a cow; in fact, a cow it’s a docile animal. Sows will try to hurt you if you want to milk them, and after you’ve lost their trust, there is no way of getting it back.
But there are other seasons like demand which I think is one the most obstacles for why we don’t see this type of milk in grocery stores.
And finally, the taste of the milk can be quite strong, so it is not something for the masses.