Large White
Breed page
Large White
The Large White or the ‘Yorkshire Pig’ as it is known in America is recognisable by its pointy white ears.
These inquisitive pigs thrive both inside and out though it is important to ensure they have wallows in the summer to cool off and coat themselves in mud to stop them from becoming sunburnt.
They are a very friendly breed and will learn quickly to stand to have their heads rubbed as well as enjoying things to play with.
Read on to learn more about keeping this breed, the BPA's conservation efforts and much more!
Buyers Guide
The Large White is a great pig for any buyer as it grows fast, produsces good quality, lean meat and are good mothers. These pigs with there distinctive pricked ears are friendly and full of character.
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Conservation
The Large White has seen a dramatic decline in recent years and more worrying is the limited geographical spread of many of these bloodlines, we need to act now to ensure that these bloodlines are distributed across the country in an attempt to ensure the survival of this breed.
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Breed Standard
Thinking about buying a Large White? Find out more about the essential characteristics that define the breed.
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Breed History
The Large White was developed in Yorkshire during the 19th century from the local white breeds.
Unlike several of the other British breeds the Large White had little Asian blood in its ancestry.
The first herdbook for the Large White was published in 1884 and by the end of the 19th century the breed was attracting a great deal of interest with enterprising breeders exporting stock worldwide.
When the industry realised that by crossing the Landrace and Large White you got a lean pig that grew faster than its pedigree counterpart, this became the norm and led to decline in numbers of pedigree Large White herds.
The British Pig Association (BPA) exists to conserve our rare breed pigs, promote our pedigree breeds and ensure breed longevity.