Okay, so picture this – I’m stuck in traffic behind a livestock trailer last Tuesday. My nephew starts pointing and yelling “Uncle Mike, what’s that group of pigs called?”
I said “herd” without thinking. Wrong answer, apparently.
Turns out pig groups have more names than I’ve got fingers. And honestly? Most farmers I know can’t keep them straight either.
Most Folks Just Say “Drove”
Ask any pig farmer worth his salt, and he’ll tell you it’s a “drove of pigs.” That’s the money answer right there. Been using that word since my great-grandfather was slopping hogs back in Tennessee.
The whole thing comes from actually driving pigs down roads to market. Back when trucks weren’t around, farmers would literally walk behind hundreds of pigs for miles. Those moving groups became “droves.” Makes sense when you think about it.
But here’s the kicker – that’s just one name out of about ten different ones. Depending on what kind of pigs you’re talking about, you might use completely different words.
Every Single Name for Groups of Pigs
Spent way too much time researching this stuff. Here’s what I found:
| What You Call Them | When You Use It | Real Example |
|---|---|---|
| Drove | Regular farm pigs moving around | “Drove of pigs heading to the barn” |
| Drift | Baby pigs wandering | “Little drift of piglets following mama” |
| Sounder | Wild pigs in the woods | “Sounder of wild boars tore up my corn” |
| Litter | Brand new babies | “Sow dropped a litter of twelve” |
| Team | Working pigs | “Team of pigs cleaning up the orchard” |
| Passel | Big groups (Southern thing) | “Whole passel of hogs at the feed trough” |
| Herd | Just lots of pigs together | “Big herd grazing in the back forty” |
| Singular | Male wild boars | “Singular of boars fighting over territory” |
| Farrow | Pregnant pigs and babies | “Farrow includes three expecting mothers” |
“Drift” Is My New Favorite Word
This one cracked me up. Young pigs apparently “drift” around together. Not march, not run – they drift.
Watched this happen at my buddy Carl’s place outside Bloomington. His weaner pigs just kinda floated around the pasture in this loose group, checking out everything. One minute they’re by the water tank, next minute they’re clear across the field investigating some interesting smell.
That’s drifting, I guess. Pretty accurate description when you see it happening.
“Sounder” – Wild Pig Territory
Hunter buddies use this one all the time. Wild pigs travel in “sounders.” Not droves, not herds – sounders.
According to the Texas Parks and Wildlife, we’ve got way too many feral pigs running around causing problems. These sounders can include anywhere from 5-6 animals up to 20-30 in some areas.
Female wild pigs lead these groups. They decide where to go, what to eat, when to move. The males mostly live by themselves unless it’s breeding time.
“Singular” – Weirdest Name Ever
Get this – when male wild boars temporarily hang out together, that’s called a “singular.”
Why? Because these guys normally can’t stand each other. They’re loners. So when you actually see multiple boars in the same area, it’s so unusual it gets its own special name.
My cousin Danny (bow hunter down in East Texas) says he’s only seen a singular maybe three times in twenty years of hunting. Usually happens during rutting season when they’re all competing for the same females.
“Passel” – Pure Southern Talk
Grew up hearing this one from my granddad in Alabama. “Passel of hogs,” “passel of kids,” “passel of trouble.” Just means a whole bunch of something.
Down South, if you’ve got a lot of pigs, it’s a passel. Up North, they might say herd. Out West, probably drove. Regional thing, you know?
The Alabama Cooperative Extension still uses “passel” in some of their livestock publications. Keeping the old language alive, I guess.
Different Pigs, Different Names
Not all pigs act the same way. That’s why we need different words.
Regular Farm Pigs
Commercial operations usually just say “group” or “pen” for record-keeping. But talk to the actual farmers, and you’ll hear drove, herd, bunch – whatever feels right in the moment.
Visited Niman Ranch suppliers a few times. These guys know their stuff, and they use traditional terms when talking about their animals. It’s not just showboating – the words actually mean something.
Wild Boars
Completely different animal from farm pigs. Wild boar sounders operate like wolf packs – organized, territorial, dangerous when cornered.
Female leads, makes all the decisions. Young ones learn by watching. Males get kicked out when they’re old enough to cause trouble. It’s a whole system.
Heritage Breeds
Old-fashioned pig breeds like Mangalitsa or Gloucestershire Old Spots still act more like their wild cousins. They form natural family groups, establish pecking orders, show seasonal behavior changes.
These heritage operations are where traditional collective nouns make the most sense. The pigs actually behave the way our ancestors observed when they created these terms.
Where You Live Matters
Pig talk changes depending on your zip code.
Midwest
Iowa, Illinois, Nebraska – heart of American pig country. These folks keep it simple: drove, herd, group. No nonsense, gets the job done.
The Iowa Pork Producers represent something like 20 million pigs. They use straightforward language because they’re running businesses, not poetry clubs.
The South
Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, the Carolinas – this is passel territory. Also hear “bunch” and “mess” (as in “mess of hogs”). More colorful language overall.
Southern pig farming has deeper cultural roots. Families have been raising hogs for generations, and they keep the old words alive.
Out West
Montana, Wyoming, Colorado borrowed cattle terms. “Herd” dominates out there because that’s ranch country. Pigs are just another type of livestock.
Seasons Change Everything
Pig behavior shifts throughout the year, which explains why we need different terms for different situations.
Spring Baby Season
Farrowing time means “litter” becomes the most important word. Sows separate from groups to have babies in private. Individual nesting, not group behavior.
Wild pigs do the same thing. Pregnant females leave the sounder temporarily to establish birthing areas away from the group.
Summer Growing Time
Young pigs start exploring beyond their immediate family. That’s when you see those classic “drifts” – loose groups of youngsters wandering around together.
Free-range operations show this behavior clearly. The pigs organize themselves naturally without human interference.
Fall Breeding Chaos
Mating season turns everything upside down. Males compete, females choose, temporary alliances form and break. Wild boar “singulars” happen mostly during fall rutting.
Winter Survival Mode
Cold weather forces cooperation. Biggest groups of the year happen when pigs huddle together for warmth and share information about food sources.
How Pigs Talk to Each Other
Groups don’t just happen randomly. Pigs communicate constantly to stay organized.
Pig Sounds
Research from Purdue University shows pigs make over 20 different sounds. Grunts for staying in touch, squeals for excitement or alarm, barks for warnings.
Different age groups make different sounds. Young pig drifts sound different from adult drove formations. You can actually identify group types by listening.
Body Language
Tail up means alert. Ears forward means curious. Head down means submission. Pigs read each other constantly through body position and movement.
Dominant pigs use specific postures to direct group movement. Subordinate animals respond appropriately to maintain peace.
Smell Communication
Pigs live in a scent world we can barely imagine. Chemical signals establish group identity, communicate health status, mark territories.
According to Michigan State University Extension, scent communication influences group formation and maintenance more than visual or auditory signals.
Real World Applications
This isn’t just academic trivia. People actually use these terms for practical reasons.
Farm Records
Modern pig operations need precise language for health records, breeding documentation, regulatory compliance. Veterinarians use specific collective nouns in professional communications.
The USDA maintains standards for agricultural terminology that include traditional collective noun usage.
Wildlife Management
Feral pig control requires accurate descriptions of group sizes and behaviors. Wildlife managers communicate with hunters, landowners, researchers using proper terminology.
States like Texas and Georgia publish management guides using correct collective nouns to ensure clear communication about pig populations and control strategies.
Teaching and Learning
Agricultural programs like 4-H and FFA include proper terminology in their curriculum. Kids learn animal behavior alongside correct vocabulary.
Where These Words Came From
Most collective nouns have interesting backstories.
Medieval Hunting
Terms like “sounder” come from old English hunting traditions. Medieval nobility developed elaborate vocabulary for different game animals and hunting situations.
These “Books of Courtesy” established formal language that influenced agricultural terminology for centuries.
Farming Evolution
18th and 19th century agricultural improvements created needs for more precise vocabulary. Larger operations, better breeding techniques, organized marketing required clearer communication.
Railroad transportation allowed massive pig drives involving thousands of animals. Traditional terms had to accommodate these impressive scales.
Modern Changes
Today’s pig industry balances traditional language with efficiency requirements. Heritage farms maintain historical terms while commercial operations develop specialized vocabulary.
Picking the Right Word
Here’s my practical advice for different situations:
Say “drove” for most farm pig situations, especially when they’re moving or being managed.
Use “sounder” for any wild pig discussion – hunting, wildlife management, feral pig problems.
Pick “drift” for young pigs exploring together, particularly in natural settings.
Choose “litter” only for newborn pigs from the same mother.
Try “passel” if you’re South of the Mason-Dixon line or want to sound traditional.
Go with “herd” when you’re not sure – everybody understands it.
Bottom Line
Next time somebody asks what you call a herd of pigs, you’ve got options. Lots of them.
These aren’t just fancy words – they represent centuries of people watching pigs, farming pigs, hunting pigs, and trying to describe what they saw accurately.
Each term tells a story about different pig behaviors, different human needs, different cultural traditions. The language evolved because the situations demanded precision.
Whether it’s a drove heading to market, a drift of youngsters exploring pasture, or a sounder of wild boars causing problems, you now know what to call them. And more importantly, you know why these different words exist in the first place.
Pretty cool how language works, isn’t it? Even when we’re just talking about pigs.