Breed of the week – The Large Black Pig

This is last years supreme champion from the Festival, the magnificent Kingsdown Golden Harvest from the Addison herd of Jack Holyroyd.

With lop ears and a long deep body, the Large Black is Britain’s only all black pig. It is a hardy breed able to cope with most conditions. Although they are big with sows typically 300kg, they are extremely docile and hardy and suited to simple outdoor systems. The sows are excellent mothers, with exceptional milking ability, and are able to rear good litters averaging over 8 piglets through their lifetime.

The Large Black is also much appreciated for its tasty succulent meat and eating qualities, and it can thrive on low quality forage and feed. The breed is dual purpose meaning it can be killed at a lower weight for pork production or taken to a higher weight for bacon production.

Breed information from the Large Black Breeders Club and the Rare Breeds Survival Trust