Five Additional Pig Breeds
(Page 2 of 3)
March/April 2009
Caleb Regan
In 1957, Lacombe boars were made available to the public, and the first sows a year later. At that time, they were estimated to contain 56 percent Landrace, 23 percent Berkshire and 21 percent Chester White blood.
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Today, they are the fifth most popular breed in Canada, and they were designed to thrive in Canada – especially the central part of the country – although they are present in other countries. They have high fertility, and they are very hardy and docile.
FUNCTIONALITY: High quality meat, high fertility in both boars and sows, terminal sires
APPEARANCE: White; medium-sized; large, droopy ears; relatively short, strong legs
SIZE: Medium
CONSERVATION STATUS: Population extremely low and typically not available to farmers as breeding stock
PLACE OF ORIGIN: Lacombe, Alberta, Canada
KNOWN FOR: Fast growth in both boars and sows, hardiness, docility, Canadian origin
Minzhu
These pigs hail from extreme northern China. They were introduced to the United States through an effort headed by three organizations: the USDA, the University of Illinois and Iowa State University.
The cold, dry climate of far northern China makes this breed tolerant of extremely cold temperatures and bad feeding conditions. Minzhu is believed to be mean “folk pig.” As a result, they have a tendency to be slow-growing and fatty, but the meat from the Minzhu is generally regarded to have a great taste.
The Minzhu, because of their feeding tolerance, will forage on poor feed and other roughages, and they are very disease resistant. They are recognizable by their long, coarse black hair and grow a dense, woolen underbelly hair in the winter, enabling sows to give birth (farrow) in an open shed at temperatures as low as 40 degrees with no problems. Litter rate averages 15 to 16 piglets.
FUNCTIONALITY: Good-tasting meat, maternal farm by-product and roughage cleanup
APPEARANCE: Long, coarse black hair with long bristles; dense woolen underbelly in the winter; large body size with narrow, level back and loin
SIZE: Large body size; sows grow to just under 3 feet tall
CONSERVATION STATUS: Healthy population, mostly in China
PLACE OF ORIGIN: Northern China
KNOWN FOR: Tasty meat; long, bristly hair; hardiness
The Saddleback came into existence by combining the gene pool of the Essex and Wessex breeds in England. Both the Essex and Wessex Saddleback pigs contributed to the development of the Hampshire prior to 1820, so the exact breed contributions are unknown. Foundation stock of the Hampshire was exported to the United States beginning in 1825 (introducing the American Hampshire).