Large Black Pig

The Large Black is a hardy breed able to cope with most conditions. The black skin makes the breed very good at coping with sunburn and a popular choice in hotter climates. Average litter size is around 8.56 piglest (2009 data) and the beed has good maternnal instincts, The Large Black is a very docile breed that can be enclosed using a two strand electric fencing system. Despite the breed’s size handling is not a problem. The breed kills out white and there is no black rind on bacon joints.

• The Large Black is a large breed. Sows weigh around 300kg and boars 350kg.
• It is a long, deep bodied pig.
• They are completely black in colour with distinctive lop ears.

History

The Large Black is Britain’s only all black breed of pig.

The origin of the breed is reputed to be that in 18th century 2 boatloads of all black pigs from China docked in Cornwall and East Anglia and were used to reed with local pigs.

The breed has its origins in the Old English Hogs of the 16th and 17th centuries.

The Large Black Breed Society was formed in 1889 and the breed became popular and was widely exported.

A focus on the Large White, the Landrace and the Welsh breeds for commercial production affected the Large Black population and when the RBST was founded in 1973 the breed was on the Critical list.