Know-Your-Pigs-Flipbook

PIGSKYNOOUWR
JACK BYARD



Contents

Foreword . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 16 Large Black . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
17 Large White (Yorkshire) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
1 American Guinea Hog . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 18 Mangalitza . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
2 Bentheim Black Pied . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 19 Meidam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
3 Berkshire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 20 Meishan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
4 Black Iberian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 21 Ossabaw Island Hog . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
5 British Landrace . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 22 Oxford Sandy and Black . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
6 British Lop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 23 Pietrain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
7 British Saddleback . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 24 Poland China . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
8 Choctaw Hog . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 25 Tamworth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
9 Duroc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 26 Vietnamese Pot-bellied . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
10 Gloucestershire Old Spot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 27 Welsh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
11 Hampshire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 28 Wild Boar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
12 Hereford . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
13 Hybrid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Acknowledgements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
14 Iron Age . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Photo Credits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
15 Kunekune . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

2 Bentheim Black Pied

Characteristics The Bentheim Black Pied or Buntes Bentheimer Schwein originated in the early
20th century and is named for the district in Lower Saxony, Germany, where it
Weight: Male 551 lb was first bred. It is a cross between local breeds and the Berkshire, and was bred
(250 kg); female in its home area until the late 1950s, when tastes changed and demand for the
397 lb (180 kg). breed declined.

Colour:White with black Extinction loomed and the herdbook was closed. One breeder kept meticulous
spots within gray rings. records, however, and the herdbook was reopened in 1964, although numbers
Lop ears. continued to decline. In 2003, the Association for the Conservation of the
Bentheim Black Pied pig came into being and things started to look brighter.
Within four years, the population of the breed grew from 50 to 420 and registered
breeders from 19 to almost 100.When visiting Germany, please look for Bentheim
Black Pied products and help preserve this beautiful animal.

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9 Duroc

Characteristics In 1812, pigs known as Red Hogs were bred in NewYork and New Jersey. In 1823,
Isaac Frink of Saratoga bought from Harry Kelsey a red boar whose parents were
Weight: Male 450–750 lb believed to have been imported from Britain. Harry also owned a prize stallion
(227–340 kg); female named Duroc, and the boar was given the stallion’s name. By the mid-19th century,
systematic crossing of the red boar’s descendants with the Red Hog created the
450–650 lb (204–295 kg). ancestors of the modern Duroc.
Colour: Golden-brown
to rich, red mahogany. The breed was imported into the British Isles in the 1970s, but was not an
immediate success.A second import took place in the 1980s, and that fared better.
The Meat and Livestock Commission carried out extensive trials to assess the
merits of the breed.The Duroc has since found a place in British farming and a
British version of the Duroc has been developed.A thick coat enables the breed to
survive the British winters, but it moults in the warmer summer months. Because
of its colouring, this breed is less likely to suffer from sunburn.The Duroc produces
excellent pork and bacon.

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15 Kunekune

Characteristics Kunekune (pronounced “kooneykooney”) is Maori for “fat and round.” The pig
breed of the same name—and also known as the Maori Pig—is a delightful looking
Weight: Male/female little pig with stout legs and a short, round body. It is placid, easy to keep, and
140–200 lb (63.5–91 kg). enjoys human company. It feeds mainly on grass, so is a good lawn mower.
Colour:Varies between
Although the breed is from New Zealand, its true country of origin remains in
ginger, brown, black, doubt. It is possible the Maoris introduced it to the island, as similar breeds can be
cream, and spotted. found in Polynesia.Whalers from
various countries released pigs on
Usually has a pair of the islands as a food supply for later
tassels under the chin visits. Pigs that were left by Captain
Cook on his first voyage to the
named piri piri. island may also have contributed
to the Kunekune. Zoe Lindop
and Andrew Calveley brought the
Kunekune to Britain in 1992.

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16 Large Black

Characteristics The Large Black is Britain’s only all-black pig. It originates from the Old English
hog of the 16th and 17th centuries. In the late 19th century, there were two types
Weight: Male 700–800 lb of Large Black; one in Devon and Cornwall and the other in East Anglia.The Large
(320–360 kg); female Black Society brought them together in 1889.This breed is found throughout
the country and kept in small herds, some of which were established in the early
600–700 lb (270–320 kg). 20th century.
Colour: Black.
In the 1960s, a trend toward intensive rearing led to a decline in the breed, since
it was unsuitable for this type of farming. Extremely docile and hardy, it is ideally
suited to simple outdoor rearing systems.This characteristic, and its colour, made
it popular for overseas breeding and, by 1935, it had been exported to more than
30 countries.

Large Black sows are excellent mothers, able to bring up large litters on basic
food.These animals once grazed orchards, eating windfall, and would be fed whey, a
by-product of butter production.The Large Black produces meat of superb quality.

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22 Oxford Sandy
Characteristics and Black
Weight: 550–660 lb
(250–300 kg). The Oxford Sandy and Black is native to Oxfordshire, England, where it was a
Colour: Pale to dark traditional cottager’s pig and has been in existence for more than 300 years. It is also
one of the oldest pig breeds in the British Isles.The main body colour is due to its
gold with black blotches, Tamworth ancestry.
not spots; the boar has
a white tip to the tail, The breed was in decline in the 1940s, and by 1985 extinction seemed inevitable.
four white feet, and a Were it not for the efforts and dedication of three men, the Oxford Sandy and
Black would be no more.
white blaze (stripe down
the center of the face). The Oxford Sandy and Black is also known as the Plum Porridge, the Plum
Ears are lopped or Pudding, and the Oxford Forest.The breed is happiest outdoors in woodland and
semi-lopped. rough grazing. Its colour gives it a greater protection against sunburn.The Oxford
Sandy and Black is docile and easy to manage, ideal for smallholders, and produces
meat of excellent quality and flavour.

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Vietnamese

26 Pot-bellied
Characteristics Native to the Red River Delta inVietnam, this breed is now found in the British
Isles, United States, Canada, Europe, the Middle East, Indonesia, and Japan. It has
Weight: Male 110 lb been crossed with so many breeds it is impossible to find a purebred.There are
(50 kg); female approximately 2.5 millionVietnamese Pot-bellies in their native country.
106 lb (48 kg).
Colour: Black. The breed arrived in Europe and the United States in the 1960s and was
popular with zoos and animal parks in the 1970s.Ten years on, the idea of keeping
Short legs, short straight a pig as a pet took off. In the United States, in 1986, aVietnamese Pot-bellied cost
tail, small upright ears, several thousand dollars.The original breed was far from ideal as a household pet,
but improvements have been made since then. It is now a great pet for those with a
and a low-hanging belly. large garden or smallholding and it has an extremely good temperament.

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Did you know that pigs are smarter than your average 3-year-old? Here is everything you need to identify
the 28 most interesting pig breeds, including a colour photo of each one with the essential facts:

•  Appearance, weight and colour  •  History of the breed  •  Personality, characteristics and uses

From the American Guinea Hog who loves a good belly rub, to the hardy Yorkshire who is happiest foraging
outdoors, domesticated pigs have been around for 11,000 years. Today, with certain rare breeds teetering on
the brink of extinction, we need to know about them more than ever.

£6.99 UK | $7.99 US | $9.99 CAN

EAN ISBN: 978-1-912158-54-6 50799

9 781912 158546