authentic micro pigs

Question
Hi there, as I research more about micro pigs, the scare of mine becoming a very large pot belly is realy starting to get me nervous. Is there any way to tell if I have a truly authentic micro pig or if its just a young pot belly that will grow much much larger in the future? Currently my little girl is just over 4 monthes and is pushing 15 pounds almost. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

Answer
The most accurate way to determine the final adult size of a piglet is to look at the pigs parents when they are age 5 or older.

Pigs have dense, compact bodies. If you put a pig and dog the same size next to each other, the pig will weigh approximately twice the dog's weight. In other words, a 200 lb pig is smaller than Lassie.

The average adult weight of pot-bellied pigs has dropped since the 1990s. Then, the average adult weighed between 150 - 200 lb. Now, most weigh about 125 - 150 lb. Another change is delayed growth spurts. Piglets normally start off growing like weeds, then slow down, reaching almost full adult size by age 2. Now, many piglets start off staying very small for the first year, then grow rapidly. Others have major growth spurts when they are as old as 3 or 4.

The best thing to do is take a good look at piggy. Piggy should not have any hip or rib bones protruding. Piggy should have a nice firm tummy. But, piggy should not look like he has just swallowed a basketball. Piggy should not have two or three jowles, and there should not be a "bag" hanging below piggy's butt.

If piggy looks healthy, don't worry. Your piggy is probably going to get most of his growing done in his younger years.