A pig pickin' (also known as rolling a pig, pig pull, hog roast, pig roast or, among the cajun, "cochon de lait") is a type of party or gathering held primarily in the american south which involves the barbecuing of a whole hog (the castrated male pig or barrow, bred for consumption at about 12 weeks old). females, or gilts, are used as well. boars (full-grown intact males) and sows generally are too large. many southern families have a pig roast for thanksgiving or christmas, graduations, weddings, or summer gatherings. some communities hold cook-offs during festivals, where cooks compete against one another for prize money.

Source: Wikipedia