What is the difference between a boar, gilt, hog, pig, and sow?  

Swine is a domesticated pig or hog. Swine is a general, collective term – singular (one) or plural (several) – for male, female, young and old domesticated pigs or hogs.

Other terms for pigs and hogs are generally differentiated in terms of age.

Adults

A hog is a domesticated swine, especially an adult. 

A boar is a mature (adult) male swine.

A sow is a mature (adult) female pig.

A gilt is a mature female pig that has never had babies or is pregnant for the first time.

Young

A pig is a term for any swine, especially domesticated swine, but officially a pig is an immature (young) swine.

A piglet is a baby pig.

A farrow is a litter (new-born group) of piglets.

A shoat is a young swine that has been weaned.

Photographer: Martina Nicolls

Martina Nicolls: SIMILAR BUT DIFFERENT IN THE ANIMAL KINGDOM