British Landrace pig facts for kids
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| Conservation status | Rare breed |
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| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
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The British Landrace is a popular type of pig found in the United Kingdom. It is a "domestic breed," meaning it has been raised by humans for a long time. These pigs are white and have large, floppy ears that hang over their faces. Farmers raise British Landrace pigs mainly for their meat, which is used to make pork and bacon.
The Story of the British Landrace
The British Landrace pig breed started in 1949. That year, 12 special pigs were brought to the UK from Scandinavia. These pigs were part of a group called "Landrace" pigs. Among the 12 pigs were four "boars" (male pigs) and eight "gilts" (young female pigs).
Soon after, in 1950, a group called the British Landrace Pig Society was created. This society started a "herd book." A herd book is like a family tree record for animals. It keeps track of the parents and offspring of the pigs. This helped farmers know which pigs were related to the original 12. The society also set up the first "pig testing scheme." This was a way to check how well the pigs grew and how much meat they produced. The testing station was in a village called Stockton-on-the-Forest in North Yorkshire.
Why This Breed Became So Popular
The British Landrace pig became very popular in the UK. Its popularity even affected other pig breeds. In 1955, a special report called the Howitt report was published. This report suggested that farmers should focus on raising only three main pig breeds to earn more money. These breeds were the British Landrace, the Large White, and the Welsh pig.
Many farmers followed this advice. Because of this, many other pig breeds that were not as common started to disappear. By 1999, seven pig breeds had been lost in Britain during the 20th century. The British Landrace and the Large White pigs became the most common breeds in the pig farming industry.
Modern British Landrace Pigs
In 1978, the British Landrace Pig Society joined a larger group called the National Pig Breeders' Association. This group is now known as the British Pig Association. In the 1980s, the British Landrace breed continued to develop. New pigs were brought in from Norway and Finland to add to the breed's "genetic base." This means new family lines were introduced.
These new additions made the British Landrace unique compared to other Landrace pigs around the world. The British Landrace is also used to help improve other pig breeds. Today, you can find British Landrace pigs all over the United Kingdom. They are especially common in the eastern parts of England and in Yorkshire.
