Le porc (du latin porcus) ou cochon ou encore cochon domestique (Sus scrofa domesticus désignant littéralement un «sanglier domestique») est un mammifère domestique omnivore de la famille des porcins, ou suidés proche du sanglier avec lequel il peut se croiser. La femelle adulte est la truie, la jeune femelle élevée pour la reproduction est une cochette, le mâle est le verrat et le jeune cochon (avant le sevrage) s'appelle porcelet, cochonnet, goret (ou cochon de lait dans l'assiette), le jeune porc sevré se nomme nourrain (ou nourrin). Le terme désigne aussi la viande fournie par cet animal qui est la viande la plus consommée dans le monde alors même que le porc fait l'objet d'un interdit alimentaire dans certaines cultures (dans le judaïsme et l'islam notamment). La production se concentre dans trois zones : l'Europe (y compris la Russie), l'Asie (notamment la Chine) et l'Amérique du Nord (le Canada - l'un des plus grands producteurs, avec notamment le Québec - et les États-Unis). La Chine avec 46 millions de tonnes (2003) produit presque la moitié du total mondial.

Le mot «porc» vient du latin porcus, lui-même probablement issu du grec. L'étymologie de «cochon» est de son côté plus incertaine. La plupart des termes servant à décrire ou à désigner le porc sont d'origine latine. Mais le mot cochon, quant à lui, ne vient ni du latin, ni des langues germaniques ou celtes. Il pourrait dériver, selon Valérie Péan, d'une onomatopée utilisée par les éleveurs, «coch-coch» Le terme apparaît en français vers le XIe siècle et devient courant dès le XIIIe siècle. Mais à cette époque, il désigne surtout le porcelet et principalement dans les parlers de langue d'oïl. Il ne prend son sens actuel et se répand dans toutes les régions françaises qu'à partir de la fin du XVIIe siècle.

C'est au début de l'ère tertiaire que le porc apparaît en Asie mineure et dans la région du Turkestan. Il colonise ensuite toute l'Asie avant de s'implanter en Afrique et en Europe. Bien qu'il lui fût longtemps affilié au sanglier en raison de leur ressemblance, le porc ne descend pas de celui-ci mais du cochon sauvage. En effet, d'après les paléozoologues il y a bien eu séparation dès la Préhistoire entre les ancêtres du sanglier et ceux du porc domestique.

Au XIIe siècle, les porcs, clochette accrochée au cou, divaguent dans les rues de Paris et en nettoient les immondices. L'un d'eux cause, le 13 octobre 1131, la chute et la mort de Philippe, fils ainé et héritier du roi Louis VI le Gros. Suite à cet accident, un édit royal interdit la divagation des cochons. Les seuls cochons qui échappent à l'interdit sont ceux des confréries de moines Antonins. Saint Antoine l'ermite est donc souvent identifié par sa proximité avec un cochon. Les restes d'aliments, les détritus de cuisine, les résidus de la fabrication de bière familiale ont fait partie, des siècles durant, de l'alimentation donnée aux porcs.

Les cochons sont très intelligents et plus facilement adaptables que la plupart des chiens. Les cochons vietnamiens sont souvent utilisés comme animaux de compagnie dans de nombreux pays. Les cochons peuvent faire leurs besoins dans une litière comme les chats, mais ils apprennent très vite à faire leur besoin dans le jardin si nécessaire. Cependant, leur astuce naturelle les rend farceurs et la maison devra être adaptée en conséquence : ils parviennent rapidement à ouvrir toutes les portes.

Sa constitution anatomique et biologique proche des humains et sa facilité d'élevage ont fait que le cochon est utilisé en recherche médicale et dans des applications thérapeutiques : chirurgie cardiaque, production d'insuline, héparine (anticoagulant). La taille de ses organes internes est la même que celle des humains, ce qui en fait un bon candidat aux xénogreffes. La peau du cochon est très proche de celle des humains, et peut, comme celle de l'homme, recevoir des coups de soleil (contrairement à un mythe répandu, ce ne sont pas les seuls animaux pour qui c'est le cas). Elle est utilisée pour le traitement des grands brûlés.

--------------------------------------------

The domestic pig (Sus scrofa domesticus) (also swine or hog) is a large, domesticated, even-toed ungulate that traces its ancestry to the wild boar; it is considered a subspecies of the wild boar or a distinct species in its own right. Their head and body length ranges from 0.9 to 1.8 m (35 to 71 in) and adults can weigh between 50 and 350 kg (110 and 770 lb). Compared to other artiodactyles, their head is relatively long, pointed, and free of warts. Even-toed ungulates are generally herbivorous, although the domestic pig, like their primitive ancestors, are omnivores. Larger stomachs and longer intestines have evolved because plant material is more difficult to digest than meat. Domestic pigs are farmed primarily for the consumption of their flesh, called pork. The animal's bones, hide, and hair have been fashioned into items such as brushes. Domestic pigs, especially the pot-bellied pig, are also kept as pets.

Archaeological evidence suggests that pigs were domesticated from wild boars as early as 13,000–12,700 BC in the Near East in the Tigris Basin being managed in the wild in a way similar to the way they are managed by some modern New Guineans. Remains of pigs have been dated to earlier than 11,400 BC in Cyprus that must have been introduced from the mainland, which suggests domestication in the adjacent mainland by then. There was also a separate domestication in China which took place about 8000 years ago. DNA evidence from sub-fossil remains of teeth and jawbones of Neolithic pigs shows that the first domestic pigs in Europe had been brought from the Near East. This stimulated the domestication of local European wild boar resulting in a third domestication event with the Near Eastern genes ceasing in European pig stock. Modern domesticated pigs have involved complex exchanges with European domesticated lines being exported in turn to the ancient Near East. Historical records indicate that Asian pigs were introduced into Europe during the 18th and early 19th centuries. The adaptable nature and omnivorous diet of the wild boar allowed early humans to domesticate it readily. Pigs were mostly used for food, but early civilizations also used the pigs' hides for shields, bones for tools and weapons, and bristles for brushes. In India, pigs have been domesticated for a long time mostly in Goa and some rural areas for pig toilets. Though ecologically logical as well as economical pig toilets are waning in popularity as use of septic tanks and/or sewerage system is increasing in rural areas. Pigs were brought to southeastern North America from Europe by de Soto and other early Spanish explorers. Escaped pigs became feral and caused a great deal of disruption to Native Americans cultures who had no domesticated livestock. Domestic pigs have become feral in many other parts of the world (e.g. New Zealand and northern Queensland) and have caused substantial environmental damage. With around 1 billion individuals alive at any time, the domesticated pig is one of the most numerous large mammals on the planet.

The behaviour of domestic pigs is more like that of dogs and humans, rather than cattle or sheep; in many ways, their behaviour appears to be intermediate between that of carnivores and the more highly evolved artiodactyls. Domestic pigs seek out the company of each other and often huddle to maintain physical contact, although they do not naturally form large herds. A behavioural character of domestic pigs which they share with carnivores is nest building and bed making (although modern production systems often prevent these). Pigs root (digging with the nose or snout) out wallows or depressions and the females will build nests in which to give birth. First she digs a depression about the size of her body. She then collects twigs, grasses and leaves, and carries these in her mouth to the depression, building them into a mound. She digs in smaller, finer material to the centre of the mound using her feet. When the mound reaches the desired height, she places large branches, up to 2 metres in length, on the surface. She enters into the mound and roots around to create a depression within the gathered material. She then gives birth in a lying position, which again is different from other artiodactyls which usually give birth in a standing position. Domestic piglets are highly precocious and within minutes, or sometimes seconds, will attempt to suckle. The piglets fight to develop a teat order as the anterior teats produce a greater quantity of milk. Once established, this teat order remains stable with each piglet tending to feed from a particular teat or group of teats. If conditions permit, domesticated pigs feed continuously for many hours and then sleep for many hours, in contrast to ruminants which tend to feed for a short time and then sleep for a short time. Pigs are omnivores and are highly versatile in their feeding behaviour. They can survive well by scavenging on the same types of foods that humans and dogs can live on. In the wild, they are foraging animals, primarily eating leaves, grasses, roots, fruits and flowers. Domestic pigs are intelligent and can be trained to perform numerous tasks and tricks. Recently, they have enjoyed a measure of popularity as house pets, particularly the dwarf breeds. Very rarely, either naturally, as a result of unusually aggressive behavior, or perhaps as the result of a pathological process which alters their disposition, domestic farm-based pigs have become aggressive and injured and eaten their handlers.