 Did you know that pork is the world's most consumed meat? Pork comprises over one-third of all meat consumed. Pigs were domesticated over 9,000 years ago in 7,000 BC, and there are more than 180 species of pigs. Why pork? Well, it's not just because everybody loves bacon. Historically speaking, pork is a very easy meat to preserve via smoking, curing, or salting.