Large White pig
a white pig with upright ears
Boar
Other names
  • Yorkshire
Country of originUnited Kingdom
StandardBritish Pig Association
Traits
Hairwhite
  • Pig
  • Sus domesticus

The Large White is a British breed of domestic pig. It derives from the old Large Yorkshire breed from the county of Yorkshire, in northern England.

History

The Large White derives from the old Large Yorkshire breed, a long-legged and heavy-boned pig from the county of Yorkshire, in northern England. In the nineteenth century this was crossed with pigs imported from China, giving rise to three distinct types or breeds: the Small White showed the greatest Asian influence, small and fat with a markedly foreshortened snout; the Middle White also showed some foreshortening of the face; the Large White was the least obviously influenced by the Chinese admixture.[1]: 649  It may also have been influenced by the Cumberland and Leicestershire breeds.[2]

A pair of pigs of Large White type were shown at the Royal Agricultural Show in Windsor in 1851.[3] The breed was recognised in 1868, and a herd-book was started in 1884.

The Large White has been exported to many countries of the world.[2] The American Yorkshire of North America derives from it.[4]

Characteristics

A sow with piglets

The Large White is a big, white pig, with erect ears and a slightly dished face.[5] Sows farrow large litters and produce abundant milk.[3]

Use

A Large White in a sty

The Large White is one of the most numerous of all pig breeds, widely used in crossbreeding for intensive pig farming around the world.[6] It was originally developed as an outdoor breed, but today it is one of those favoured by commercial pig breeders.[2]

References

  1. ^ Valerie Porter, Lawrence Alderson, Stephen J.G. Hall, D. Phillip Sponenberg (2016). Mason's World Encyclopedia of Livestock Breeds and Breeding (sixth edition). Wallingford: CABI. ISBN 9781780647944.
  2. ^ a b c The Large White. British Pig Association. Archived 14 December 2017.
  3. ^ a b Graeme Taylor, Greg Roese (November 2005). Breeds of pigs—Large White. Primefact 62. Orange NSW: New South Wales Department of Primary Industries. Accessed January 2024.
  4. ^ McDonald-Brown, Linda (2009). Choosing and Keeping Pigs. Firefly Books. ISBN 978-1-55407-469-3.
  5. ^ Breed Standard and Standards of Excellence: Large White. British Pig Association. Accessed January 2018.
  6. ^ "Large White". Oklahoma State University Dept. of Animal Science. 11 February 2021.


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