Editing Sus (genus) (section)

==Description and behaviour==
[[File:Domestic pig skull (Sus domesticus).jpg|thumb|Skull of a domestic pig<br/> (''[[Domestic pig|Sus domesticus]]'')]]
A typical pig has a large head with a long snout that is strengthened by a special prenasal bone and by a disk of [[cartilage]] at the tip.<ref name="ADW Sus scrofa">{{cite web|last=Wickline|first=Kristin|date=2014|title=Sus scrofa|url=http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Sus_scrofa.html|publisher=[[Animal Diversity Web]]}}</ref> The snout is used to dig into the soil to find food and is a very acute sense organ. Each foot has four hooves with the two larger central toes bearing most of the weight, and the outer two also being used in soft ground.<ref>{{cite web|author=Kim Lockhart|title=American Wild Game / Feral Pigs / Hogs / Pigs / Wild Boar|url=http://www.gunnersden.com/index.htm.shooting-hunting-hogs.html|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180823025758/http://gunnersden.com/index.htm.shooting-hunting-hogs.html|archive-date=23 August 2018|access-date=3 December 2018|work=Gunners Den}}</ref>

The [[dental formula]] of adult pigs is {{DentalFormula|upper=3.1.4.3|lower=3.1.4.3}}, giving a total of 44 [[Tooth|teeth]]. The rear teeth are adapted for crushing. In the male, the canine teeth form [[tusk]]s, which grow continuously and are sharpened by constantly being ground against each other.<ref name="ADW Sus scrofa"/>

Occasionally, captive mother pigs may [[savaging|savage]] their own piglets, often if they become severely stressed.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.prairieswine.com/pdf/185.pdf|title=Savaging of piglets: A puzzle of maternal behaviour|author=Harris, M., Bergeron, R., Li1, Y. and Gonyou, H.|year=2001|access-date=July 31, 2013}}{{dead link|date=March 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> Some attacks on newborn piglets are non-fatal. Others may kill the piglets and sometimes, the mother may eat them. An estimated 50% of piglet fatalities are due to the mother attacking, or unintentionally crushing, the newborn pre-weaned animals.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Lay| first=Dr. Donald C. Jr. |title=MANAGEMENT TIPS TO REDUCE PRE-WEANING MORTALITY|url=http://mark.asci.ncsu.edu/NCPorkConf/2002/lay.htm|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070820205736/http://mark.asci.ncsu.edu/NCPorkConf/2002/lay.htm|archive-date=20 August 2007|publisher=North Carolina Pork Conference|via=[[Wayback Machine]]}}</ref>