The Different Breeds of Pigs

October 20, 2023October 21, 2023 Agric4Profits

There are over 90 recognized breeds of pigs and an estimated 230 varieties of pigs in the world. They can be broadly classified into indigenous or unimproved types or the more modern exotic types which have been selected and developed for specific commercial purposes.

The Different Breeds of Pigs

1. Indigenous breeds of pigs (unimproved)

These are mostly found in developing countries and have evolved in variety of shapes and sizes in order to survive in a range of different environments.

Generally, they are smaller and shorter in legs than the exotic types (mature weight of females 40- 120 kg), with the typical unimproved conformation of a large head, well-developed forequarters, and relatively light hindquarters.

This renders them more mobile and better able to forage and root for themselves. They are early sexually maturing and females may show the first oestrus as early as three months of age.

There are many variations of coat color, but black and brown are most common and white is infrequent. The degree of hairiness also varies, and both hairless and relatively long-haired types are found. Within the major regions of the tropics, the main breeds and types are as follows:

Africa

Pigs are not characterized into specific breeds in most African Countries. They are known as ‘indigenous,’ ‘local’ or unimproved pigs.

In some parts of Africa, more specific use is made of pigs for meat production, and the Makosi in the Cameroons and the Ashanti Dwarf in Ghana are examples of indigenous breeds. Their characteristics include;

Small with mature female size of 40-60kg, and are mainly black in color with prick ears.

The unimproved pigs of East, Central, and Southern Africa are mostly descended from stock introduced by early European travelers, and therefore not truly indigenous, they are relatively widespread.

The productivity of these unimproved breeds in Africa is influenced by their environment and some typical reproductive performance figures are shown in Table 1.2

The trials indicated that although litter sizes tended to be smaller, the total live weight of the litter as a proportion of the weight of the sow at farrowing was of the same order as exotic sows (11 percent).

Table: The reproductive performance of unimproved breeds of pigs in Africa

	Nigeria	Zimbabwe	South Africa	Ghana (Ashanti) (Dwarf)
Litter-size at birth	6.5	7.9	7.2	6.3
Litter-size at weaning	5.5	7.5	–	–
Pre-weaning mortality	15.0	5.0	–	–
(%)	9.0	8.0	8.0	8.0
Average weaning age	–	7.6	9.0	7.0
(wks)
Average weaning mass
(kg)

2. Exotic Breeds of pigs in the Tropics

The following are the exotic breeds of pigs in the tropics;

2a) Duroc

This has dropped ears and is deep red or rusty color. It is a fast-growing large breed.

The Duroc produces a very good carcass and is said to be an excellent meat producer.

Also, it has the ability to grow to heavier weights without depositing too much fat.

The duroc is a hardy animal that survives well in tropical climates. It is generally used for cross-breeding.

2b) Large white (Yorkshire)

This breed was first developed in Yorkshire, England. It has erect ears and is white in color, and females are prolific. It is renowned for its strength of the leg.

The breed can be used for both pork and bacon production. It is a fairly hardy animal but will suffer from sunburn if it is not kept in a building out of the sun.

2c) Landrace

It is characterized by its forward-pointing lop ears and possesses a long, smooth body with light shoulders and well-developed hams.

It is white in color, and this swine is good for bacon production, but has a higher level of susceptibility to stress and requires a high level of management.

2d) Hampshire

This swine is black with a distinct white saddle that encircles the forequarter. They are prolific, good mothers, and have the good milking ability. It has more meat than the large white and landrace. It is probably best kept for cross-breeding.

2e) Tamworth

This hardy animal is a reddish color and with erect ears. It is an efficient converter of feed. The breed is relatively slow-maturing. In the past, it has been very popular for cross-breeding purposes in tropical regions.

Other exotic breeds include the Chester White, the large black, the middle white, etc.

In conclusion, the estimated world pig population of 826 million (FAO, 1988) means that there is approximately one pig for every six people in the world.

A comparison of the meat produced by pigs with other domestic species has revealed that more pig meat is produced than any other meat despite the fact that pigs are numerically fewer than other domestic species.

The distribution of pigs around the world is not the same. Almost half the world’s pig population is in Asia, 30 percent in Europe, and the former USSR. The population of pigs in large parts of the tropical and sub-tropical developing regions for example Africa and Latin America is relatively small.

Advantages of pig farming include the potential to be highly prolific, body size making them more flexible for marketing and consumption compared to cattle.

Pigs meat is suitable for processing and processed products have a longer shelf life than fresh meat, efficient feed converters, useful by-product, etc. at the same time, their disadvantages include poor product acceptance, social and religious factors, pollution, etc.

There are over 90 recognized breeds and an estimated 230 varieties of pigs in the world. They can be broadly classified into indigenous or unimproved types or the more modern exotic types which have been selected and developed for specific commercial purposes.

Bakosi in the Cameroons and the Ashanti Dwarf in Ghana are examples of indigenous breeds. While the exotic breeds include: Duroc, Large white (Yorkshire), Landrace, Hampshire, and Tamworth.

The Different Breeds of Pigs

The Different Breeds of Pigs

1. Indigenous breeds of pigs (unimproved)