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| Conservation status | Vulnerable; in USA, critical |
|---|---|
| Other names | Devon pig, Cornwall Black |
| Nicknames | Large Black Hog |
| Country of origin | Great Britain |
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The Large Black, occasionally called the Devon or Cornwall Black, is a breed of domestic pig native to Great Britain, particularly Devon, Cornwall and Essex. The Large Black is accurately named, as it is a large swine breed and is the only British pig that is entirely black. It is a hardy and docile pig, with Large Black sows also known for having large litters.
There were originally two types of black pigs, one from East Anglia and Essex and one from Devon and Cornwall. With the founding of a breed association in 1898, variations between the two types decreased. The Large Black was popular in the early 1900s and was exported to many areas of the world. Population numbers declined after the Second World War as farmers turned to breeds more suitable to intensive pig farming, and by the 1960s the breed was almost extinct. Numbers have slowly risen, but it is still considered vulnerable by the Rare Breeds Survival Trust, the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy, and Rare Breeds Canada.
History
The Large Black resulted from the amalgamation of black pigs from south-west England and those of East Anglia, with the latter sometimes being called the "Small Black". The pigs from East Anglia, mainly Essex, were strongly influenced by importations from China in the late 18th century, while those from Devon and Cornwall were probably much more closely related to the pigs on mainland Europe, particularly France. Alternative origins proposed for the black colour of the breed are black Guinea hogs imported from Africa (similar to the Guinea Hog of the U.S.) or from Neapolitan pigs.
The Devon pigs were originally selected for "the length of their bodies, ears, noses, tail and hair, the longer the better, without reference to quality or substance," but selective breeding brought improvements to the breed, and by 1850 the type was small-boned and thick-bodied, with good conformation and constitution. The two types were very distinct by the late 1880s, but after the founding of the breed association, breeding stock was increasingly exchanged between the two regions, and variations decreased.
During the late 19th century, the Large Black grew enormously in popularity. In 1899, a breed association, the Large Black Pig Society, was formed. By 1900, Large Blacks were one of the most popular and numerous English pig breeds. In the early 1900s, the Large Black was exported to mainland Europe, North and South America, Africa and Oceania. The first American imports were in the 1920s, but the population dwindled to the point where imports were again necessary in 1985. Popularity of the breed peaked in the 1920s, however, and after World War II, population numbers declined as farmers began to favour pig breeds that would do well in intensive indoor farming. The breed association was merged with the National Pig Breeders Association (later the British Pig Association) in 1949. During the 1960s the breed almost became extinct, and in 1973 it was placed on the British Rare Breeds Survival Trust endangered livestock list.
Description
The Large Black is a long, deep-bodied pig, well known for its hardiness and suitability for extensive farming. It is the only pig breed in Britain to be all black, and this trait helps protect the pig from sunburn in sunny climates. Temperamentally, the Large Black is a very docile breed which is easily contained by fencing, partly because its large, drooping ears obscure its vision.
The breed is also known for the length of its fertility and strong maternal instincts. Sows give birth to a large litter of 8–10 piglets, but some sows have been known to have litters of up to 13 piglets. Also of note is the Large Black sow listed in the Guinness Book of Records for having produced 26 litters between 1940 and 1952 – the largest number of litters ever recorded in a pig. Boars weigh 700 to 800 pounds (320 to 360 kg) and sows around 600 to 700 pounds (270 to 320 kg), although obesity in sows sometimes results in cystic ovaries and a loss of fertility. The breed has become larger over the years, as in the early 1900s, weights averaged 500 pounds (230 kg) for sows and larger for boars.
At its peak of popularity, the Large Black was used mainly for meat production, especially bacon. The meat from the Large Black is known for its quality and flavour, but for pork production it was often crossed with the Yorkshire and Middle White pigs, producing a commercially well-regarded and vigorous hybrid.
Conservation status
At the end of 2011 there were 421 Large Black pigs (86 boars and 335 sows) registered, a small increase over the 2010 figure of 405 (65 boars, 340 sows). The Large Black is the rarest historic pig breed in Britain, although numbers are slowly on the rise due to an increase in demand for meat from traditional pig breeds. In 2011 it was classified as "vulnerable" on the watchlist of the Rare Breeds Survival Trust, meaning that there are believed to be between 200 and 300 breeding females. The British Pig Association currently recognizes 6 boar lines and 24 sow lines within the breed.
In 2004 the Rare Breeds Trust of Australia listed the status of the Large Black as "critical", meaning that sow registrations in the Australian Pure Bred Pig Herd Book of the Australian Pig Breeders Association were fewer than 30 per year.
The American Livestock Breeds Conservancy estimated the Large Black population of the United States at 300 breeding hogs in 2008, and lists its status as "critical", which means that fewer than 200 animals are registered each year in the United States, and there are estimated to be fewer than 2,000 worldwide. Rare Breeds Canada identified the single remaining Canadian herd in 1997, and has since included the breed on its conservation watchlist as "endangered", with fewer than 500 of the animals in that country.
References
- ^ Alderson, R. (1994). Rare Breeds. Laurence King Publishing. pp. 27–28. ISBN 1856690520.
- ^ "Pigs - Large Black". Rare Breeds Survival Trust. Retrieved 2011-08-22.
- ^ Janet Vorwald Dohner (2001). The encyclopedia of historic and endangered livestock and poultry breeds. Yale University Press. pp. 189–190. ISBN 9780300088809.
- ^ Plumb, Charles Sumner (1920). Types and Breeds of Farm Animals. Country life education. Ginn. p. 762.
- ^ "The Large Black". British Pig Association. Retrieved 2011-08-22.
- ^ "Large Black Pig". American Livestock Breeds Conservancy. Retrieved 2011-08-22.
- "Breed History". Large Black Pigbreeders Club. Retrieved 2011-12-18.
- ^ Carol Ekarius (2008). Storey's illustrated breed guide to sheep, goats, cattle, and pigs: 163 breeds from common to rare. Storey Publishing. p. 197. ISBN 9781603420365.
- "BPA Pig survey 2011 - Large Black". Large Black Pigbreeders Club. Retrieved 2012-01-08.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|note=ignored (help) - "RBST Watchlist 2011" (PDF). Rare Breeds Survival Trust. Retrieved 2011-08-22.
- Chambers, Fiona (June 2004). "Status of Rare Breeds of Domestic Farm Livestock in Australia 2004" (PDF). Rare Breeds Trust of Australia. p. 17. Retrieved 2012-02-09.
- "American Livestock Breeds Conservancy: Large Black Hog". American Livestock Breeds Conservancy. Retrieved 2012-01-08.
- "Breed Information – ALBC Conservation Priority List". American Livestock Breeds Conservancy. Retrieved 2011-08-22.
- "Parameters of Livestock Breeds on the ALBC Conservation Priority List (2007)". American Livestock Breeds Conservancy. Retrieved 2011-08-22.
- "Pig Breeds". Rare Breeds Canada. Retrieved 2012-01-15.