Yes, it is a reality!
Pigs do get sunburnt.
Mind you, it has fascinated me that over the past few months ‘sunburnt pigs’ has been one of the major search engine terms used to land on my blog! Not sure what country people were searching from, but it sure as anything wasn’t Ireland.
However, for those readers not living in Ireland, we’ve had Summer here! Yes, sunshine for 10 whole days! A record for sure!
We had bitterly cold winds all through May and then on 30th May the sun shone…. and did so up to yesterday.
The sunshine has meant that we’ve had to check on the pigs more often than usual to ensure that they have water to drink and water for a wallow (mud bath).
Clarence enjoying a bath and shower
You know the way people say pigs are dirty because they cover themselves in mud? The reason for the mud? Pigs don’t have sweat glands so have no natural way of cooling down. Rolling in the mud cools them down, and the mud caking on them draws out the heat. So it acts as a sunscreen.
I have often considered getting some sort of a spray on sunscreen for them – especially for the little ones, who aren’t as proficient at rolling in the mud. Sunburnt ears can be quite uncomfortable and I’m sure itchy! However, when you read about all the nasty chemicals in sunscreens, maybe we should consider the mud option 🙂
Gosh, they were all in such bad temper yesterday – heat was getting to them for sure. Temperatures soared to 27 deg. C on Saturday and Sunday here.
It was cold showers all round.
So if you do keep pigs, remember they need even more attention and more water in hot weather. And if you don’t keep pigs, don’t ever think they are being ‘dirty’, they are just looking after themselves 🙂
A Year In Redwood 
Even as a ‘city’ dweller it always astonishes me that people don’t seem to realise that pigs do get sunburnt. Recently at the Bloom in the Park I was quite upset as the hens and sheep (not in the same pen) seemed to me as a ‘Ruralite’ (my word for today) to be overheating. Totally shocked by that and a tad upset. Wonder did any of your readers notice?? Anyway I digress. I love pigs and recently when I visited Ulster Folk and Transport Museum in Cultra Hollywood Co Down I spoke with the staff on hand as once again it was a particularly warm day and their sow appeared to be burning up. Great spot if you’ve not been. Well worth a visit!
Ena,
I remember thinking the same last year – looking at pigs without shelter! Never been to the Ulster Folk Museum, I believe it is lovely.
Margaret
Informative post, thanks Margaret. Glad ours have lots of shade though they did enjoy the wallow once I hosed it down again 🙂
I only hope we get the chance to worry about pigs and sunburn again this year!
Margaret