Large Black
Breed page
Large Black
Britain's only all-black pig is extremely docile and very hardy.
The Docile black pigs are good mothers as well as being easy pigs to handle. They are good outdoor pigs as the black pigmentation stops them from getting burnt as other white breeds do.
They have an easy going nature which means that they are less adventures than some. They are also a large breed making them good bacon pigs.
Read on to learn more about keeping this breed, the BPA's conservation efforts and much more!
Buyers Guide
The Large Black represents one of the most attractive ownership propositions for the small-scale pig keeper, it’s docile, friendly and affordable to buy and keep.
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Me and my pigs
Maria Naylor is besotted with her Large Black pigs, hooked on showing and dedicated to judging.
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Conservation
The purpose of the conservation plan is to set out the goals for conserving our native breeds for the next year. The conservation service has successfully increased the number of Lassiter boars and now all boar lines are represented in the Genebank.
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Breed Standard
Thinking about buying a Large Black? Find out more about the essential characteristics that define the breed.
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Breed History
The large black was a popular breed dating back to the 16th and 17th century as both a pure breed and for crossing to produce pork and bacon pigs.
The Large Black breed society was formed in 1889
At Smithfield in 1919, the Supreme Championship was awarded to a Large Black sow that subsequently sold for 700 guineas.
Demand changed in the 1960s and the Large Black fell out of favour, declining rapidly and when the RBST was formed in 1973 it was placed on the critical list
The British Pig Association (BPA) exists to conserve our rare breed pigs, promote our pedigree breeds and ensure breed longevity.