The truffle hog or truffle pig is a domestic pig used for locating and extracting a type of fungus known as truffles from temperate forests in Europe and North America. The pigs have a good sense of smell and are able to identify truffles from as low as three feet underground. It is thought that the natural sex hormones of the male pig are similar to the smell of the truffles ^[1] and also pigs have a natural affinity for rooting in the earth for food. They are trained to hunt truffles by walking on a leash through suitable groves with a keeper.^[2]

History[link]

The use of the pig to hunt truffles is said to date back to the Roman Empire, but the first well-documented use comes from Bartolomeo Platina in the 15th century.^[2] Later references to truffle pigs include John Ray in the 17th century.^[2]

In 1875, a truffle hog could cost up to 200 francs ^[3]. A skilled truffler could more than make up for this investment due to the high price of truffles on the gourmet food market. Today it is common for dogs (known as "Truffle hounds") as well as truffle hogs to be used in the gathering of truffles because hogs have been known to eat too many truffles in the field.^[4] However, traditionalists argue that the swine have more sensitive noses and their particular taste for truffles leads to a more devoted beast. It is frequent for the hog to be a family pet of the truffler.

See also[link]

Fungi portal

v t e Pigs Kingdom Animalia · Phylum Chordata · Class Mammalia · Order Artiodactyla · Suborder Suina · Family Suidae · Subfamily Suinae · Genus Sus Domestic Selection List of domestic pig breeds • Swine judging • Pig show Husbandry Pig farming • Intensive pig farming • Sty • Pannage • Pig toilet • Hog oiler • Gestation crate • Cross-fostering • Swine diseases • Swineherd As food or other product Pig slaughter • Pig scalder • Suckling pig • Pork • Ham  • Bacon • Lard • Blood • Dishes • Pig bladder Other uses War pig • Truffle hog • Miniature pig • Pig racing • Pig wrestling Wild Feral Wild boar • Razorback • Wild pigs of the Philippines • Boar hunting • Boars in heraldry Pigs in culture Iron Age pig • Flitch of bacon custom • Miss Piggy • Porky Pig • "The Three Little Pigs" • Babe • Charlotte's Web • The Sheep-Pig  • Peppa Pig Cultural references to pigs

• Scent hound

References[link]