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A miniature pig (also mini pig, or micro pig) is a breed of pig developed and used for medical research or for use as a pet. Miniature pigs weigh between to when fully grown, while farm pigs may weigh more than . They were first used for medical research in Europe before being introduced to the United States in the 1980s. Since then, the animals have been used in studies by scientists around the world, and have also risen in popularity as companion animals. ==History== In the 1960s, pigs that grew to be were sent to zoos in Western nations and were used for medical research in the fields of toxicology, pharmacology, pulmonology, cardiology, aging, and as a source of organs for organ transplantation. These comparatively smaller pigs were easier to work with than the larger farm pigs, which typically reach weights of 300-500 pounds. 〔http://oklahoma4h.okstate.edu/aitc/lessons/extras/facts/swine.html〕Pot-bellied pigs also became a fixture in many zoological parks where their small stature, sway backs, and potbellies attracted the attention of visitors. The purchase of a few potbellied pigs by wealthy pet owners helped start a new trend in pet pigs. The popularity of miniature pigs grew in the 1980s, with pet potbellied pigs appearing everywhere from New York apartment complexes to small hobby farms. However, the trend was short-lived, mostly due to city ordinances forbidding raising farm animals within the city limits. Furthermore, many owners came to realize that even a 165-pound pig was difficult to handle in most housing situations. The 1990s and 2000s saw a rising trend of marketing pet pigs that were supposed to be much smaller than even the potbellied pigs, and therefore suitable pets for house and apartment owners. While multiple animal protection groups and pig breeders question or deny the existence of true "miniature pigs",〔() - Miniature Potbellied Pig Registry Service, ref>(The Truth about "Tea Cup" Pigs )〕 there are currently breeders selling piglets claimed to be miniature pigs in North America and in the United Kingdom. In the mid-1980s, Keith Connell of the Bowmanville Zoo in Ontario imported breeding potbellied pigs to Canada, which became the foundation for the potbellied pig in North America.〔 Because of customs laws, only their offspring could be sold in the United States. US zoos were the main target for the piglets, but private owners soon began purchasing them as pets. Up to five additional imports were made in the following 10 years. To track the pedigrees, the Potbellied Pig Registry Service, Inc (PPRSI) was created to preserve these bloodlines and establish a breed registry in the United States. This registry was dissolved in the late 1990s.〔(【引用サイトリンク】url=http://www.miniaturepotbelliedpigregistry.com/history.html )〕 The Miniature Potbellied Pig Registry Service, Inc (MPPRSI) was established in 1993 to provide a registry for those pigs who were pedigreed in the PPRSI and met the breed standard, when fully grown not being more than tall and weighing under .〔(About Miniature Potbellied Pigs - Miniature Potbellied Pig Registry Service, Inc. )〕 All of the foundation pigs were dual registered in PPRSI and MPPRSI.〔 In May 2015, the China Academy of Agricultural Science announced that its research team had successfully produced F-25 (the 25th generation) of inbred Chinese Wuzhishan Mini Pig (WZSP), with an inbreeding coefficient of 0.99519.〔http://www.caas.net.cn/ysxw/gnhz1/256256.shtml〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Miniature pig」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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