| Welsh (pig) | |
|---|---|
Pigs on a farm in Hafod, Wales. |
|
| Country of origin | Walee |
| Traits | |
| Weight | Male: 123-138kg |
| Weight | Female: 113-129 kg |
| Pig (Sus scrofa domesticus.) | |
The Welsh is a breed of domestic pig native to Wales. It is a large white breed known for its hardiness in outdoor (extensive) farming and its long, pear-shaped body.[1] First mentioned in the 1870s, the breed is currently the third most common sire in the U.K. after the Large White and British Landrace.[2] The Welsh pig is not exported to many countries around the world at all despite the fact that they can produce substantially good bacon.
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The Welsh Pig comes from various Welsh towns. In Mid Wales, Montgomery and Cardigan and also in Carmarthen and Pembroke.[3] The earliest reference to the Welsh was in the 1870s and it originated from the Wild Boar like its similar breeds. After the Second World War, the Welsh pig became a great source for prosperity and the numbers grew by quite a reasonable amount, ultimately ending in 1,363 boars in the UK by 1954 and 3,736 sows bred in 1953. This breed of pig became incredibly popular in the mid-20th century and became a crucial breed for the pig industry. [4]
The modern Welsh has quite a wide head with lopped ears and a straight nose. The shoulders are flat at the top supporting a strong back. The skin and coat are generally white in color covering a thick torso supported by strong short legs. Boars are generally 123-138 kilograms (272-308 lb) in weight and sows range from 113-129 kg (250-285 lb). In the nineteenth century, the Welsh was described to have rather long legs and to be a razorback whilst being a slow maturer and coarse-haired. [5] Its ribs are quite well spread across the stomach and its tail is thick. The loin of the Welsh is very muscly and in general the pig is lean and strong.
The Welsh Pig did not become entirely well-known until 1920 when the Welsh Pig Society was formed in Wales, with specific purpose of protecting and promoting the Welsh pig breed. [6] Their additional aim is to spread the fact that the Welsh pig is sublime for commercial farming. Previously, in 1918, the Old Glamorgan Pig Society was developed with similar goals but the 1920 group made the breed especially famous. In 2005, the breed was considered to be endangered and rare due to hybrid pig production by the corporate farming industry which resulted in the pig population rapidly declining. [7] The Welsh pig is bred commercially mainly because it produces high-quality bacon and pork. Pork chops and legs have been sold as well and the ham is gentle and tender.