A sow pig is a female pig that has already had at least one litter of piglets. More simply: all sows are pigs, but not all pigs are sows.

Quick Scoop

  • Sow = adult female swine.
  • It usually means the female has farrowed before, meaning she has given birth to piglets.
  • A young female pig that has not had piglets yet is typically called a gilt.

Simple example

If a farm pig is a mother to piglets, she is called a sow. If she has not had piglets yet, she is usually a gilt.

In one sentence

A sow pig is just a mother female pig in farming terms.