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The British Landrace
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Sow |
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Boar |
The first Landrace pigs were
imported into Britain from Sweden in 1949 (4 boars and 8 gilts) with
other imports to follow from 1953 onwards, these came into Northern
Ireland, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands.
The British Landrace Pig Society was formed to create a herd book
for the first offspring born 1950, from the 1949 importation, and an
evaluation scheme was created, with the first Pig Testing Scheme for
daily gain and fat depths, a testing station was built at
Stockton-on-Forest, York. This was a first example of pig testing in
the UK, and a testament to the foresight of the founder members of
the Society, as to the future needs in commercial and pedigree pig
production.
With an eye on the development of the pedigree pig industry and the
need for a national herd book for all breeds, the British Landrace
Pig Society joined forces with NPBA now the British Pig Association
in 1978.
New bloodlines were imported into England, Scotland and Northern
Ireland from Norway in the 1980s and some new bloodlines into
Northern Ireland from Finland and more recently from Norway. These
new lines were imported, and assessed, and used to broaden the
genetic base of the breed, allowing development, and making the
British Landrace pig unique amongst other Landrace breeds throughout
the world.
The British Landrace breed has expanded rapidly to occupy its
present position as one of the UK’s most popular breeds of pig. With
Landrace breeders being acutely aware of the need to improve
commercial attributes of the breed, carrying on from the 1950s, with
testing and selection right up to present days, keeping up with the
demands of the ever changing world of commercial/pedigree pig
production.
The British Landrace is a very versatile breed, performing well
under either indoor or outdoor systems of management. Sows have the
ability to produce and rear large litters of piglets with very good
daily gain and high lean meat content, in a superbly fleshed
carcase, which is ideal for either fresh pork or bacon production.
The greatest strength of the Landrace is its undisputed ability to
improve other breeds of pig when crossed to produce hybrid gilts –
over 90% of hybrid gilt production in Western Europe and North
America uses Landrace bloodlines as the foundation for the
profitable production of quality pigmeat. |
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