I am glad you posted this. I think people probably kill more mulefoot hogs than are realized, but never think to check the feet and generally don't notice the feet.
Mulefooted hogs are pretty neat. I know Glenn Guess has killed one. I have killed a couple. A couple of guys on other forums I know have killed them as well, all here in Texas which had a concentration of breeders here between the late 1800s to early 1900s. The mulefoot was considered a high quality pig meat at the time, but the mulefoot industry apparently suffered greatly at the hands of the beef industry and now the breed is considered 'heritage' as noted in the video above.
The disease tolerance really has to do with their feet. So they actually do better that regular hogs for prolonged periods in wet conditions, IIRC.
While this is a breed, the mulefoot condition is actually a recessive genetic condition and can come about naturally as well. What is interesting from a breeding standpoint is that the condition, outside of the breed, is considered undesirable and is seen as a genetic defect. Breeders often encourage culling of these 'abnormal' hogs from their breeding stock so that the condition will will not be as likely to reappear.
Initially, the breed itself is thought to have originated in Spain and to have been brought over early on with the colonization of the US.
The two I shot were a 220 lb. boar in 2011 and a 110 lb. sow in 2013. The boar was interesting because I had read about mulefooted hogs a short time before shooting the hog, and my hunting partner and I hauled him to the barn without noticing the feet, but I knew something wasn't right. It probably took a hour for me to realize it was mulefooted. Pics can be seen here...
http://s627.photobucket.com/user/HornHillRange/library/Mulefoot%20Boar%202011?sort=3&page=1
The sow was with piglets. I hope that the piglets turned out mulefooted as well.
Pics...
http://s627.photobucket.com/user/HornHillRange/library/Mulefoot%20Sow%202013?sort=3&page=1
Video...
Just to point out, the tops of the toes can still show a cleft where the natural separation should be despite the toes actually being fused together. That may give the initial appearance of being a normal foot. Closer examination, spreading the toes, or just looking at the bottom of the feet should readily reveal the condition, if present. In only takes a second to look.
In the wild, they really kind of are like the yeti of hogs, so finding one is pretty neat.
