8 largest pig breeds in the world

Review of the best according to the editorial board. On the selection criteria. This material is subjective, does not constitute advertising and does not serve as a purchase guide. Before buying, you need to consult with a specialist.

The pig is the only domestic animal that is bred exclusively for meat. They also take milk from a cow, milk and wool from a goat, even chickens, and they 'give' feathers and down for stuffing pillows. But the pig is a source of exclusively meat. But what a! From an adult wild boar of some breeds, you can take several quintals of fillet, bacon and bacon. This is enough to feed a whole family for 4-6 months.

And let some people not like the taste of pork. This animal really gives a lot of meat – and this is very important. For those who want to never go to the market for lard and pork again, we have compiled a rating of the 8 largest pig breeds in the world.

Ranking of the largest pig breeds in the world

8th place: White English pig (up to 280 kg live weight)

Rating: 4.3

The White English Pig is the ideal breed for those breeders who want a quick changeover cycle. Representatives of this species are gaining mass several times more actively than most others. So, already on the 200th day of life, wild boars weigh 100 kg, and at the age of 1.5 years they reach the final mass of 280 kg.

This significantly reduces the growing cycle. There is no need to wait for slaughter for several years, the first results will appear already next year after the opening of the farm. It is also useful for novice household owners who often cannot handle long-term feeding before reaching marketable weight.

This rate of recruitment is due to the peculiarities of selection. The ancestors of the white English breed were three types of pigs at once – Portuguese, Chinese and local British. From the first and second got the early maturity, and the third allowed the animal to adapt to the not very favorable climate of the country of origin. By the way, that is why the representatives of the breed very rarely get sick and wither when grown in the territory of Central Russia and neighboring CIS countries.

The white English pig belongs to the meat breed. That is, after slaughter, more than 60% of the finished product will be pure fillets. Actually, this is why it is large in size – in the 'ripe' form, the animal reaches a length of 2 meters.

7th place: Latvian white pig (up to 320 kg live weight)

Rating: 4.4

The Latvian White is one of the 'youngest' pig breeds. It was officially registered in 1967, and the selection of the species began at the end of the 19th century. Among the ancestors are not only local animals, but also German white breeds, as well as English ones. Due to the youth of the breed, it is practically not common in Russia, and, as a rule, is found only in small subsidiary farms in the north-west of the country.

The result is a 'universal' meat-sucking breed. So, up to 60% fillet and up to 3.7% bacon come out from the carcass. The thickness of the bacon, however, is quite small and is significantly inferior to the breeds specially bred in Ukraine – and on average is 2.8 cm. However, this is enough for daily nutrition.

In addition, the Latvian white pig is 'early maturing'. Already at 6 months after birth, the animal reaches a weight of 100 kilograms. The maximum weight is 320 kg, as usual for boars. The breed is easy to breed as the average litter size is 11-12 piglets, which reach 'milk production' already at around 70 kg.

However, the breeding of fat and massive pigs of this breed should be approached with caution. Due to their not too strong constitution with a high amount of fat, they can start to hurt. In addition, the representatives of the breed are distinguished by some gluttony, therefore, the cost of feed for maintenance is almost greater than that of other species.

6th place: Mirgorod pig (up to 330 kg live weight)

Rating: 4.5

The Mirgorod breed belongs to the greasy direction, that is, basically this animal gives fat. There are not so many fillets directly. However, these 'pigs' are not bred for him.

Lard from the Mirgorod breed is considered the standard. Its thickness is about 4.5 cm on average. In addition, the taste of this product is recognized as excellent. The residents of Mirgorod are proud of this achievement of animal husbandry and annually, in early December, they hold a holiday dedicated to the breed they bred.

Breeding for the breed was quite difficult. The predecessors were taken out by the people of Ukraine themselves. Then the best greasy representatives were crossed with European white pigs – and got the same Mirgorod breed. It is characterized by an unusual color, black-and-white (which is why it is also called 'pockmarked'), and a large, massive constitution.

As usual, boars are heavier than females. Their live weight can reach 330 kilograms! Animals reach normal sizes at 36 months of life – then their weight, as a rule, is 275 kilograms. There is not much meat in the carcass – up to 55% (at 85% of carcass weight). The breed is considered to be relatively easy to breed, as the females have 10-11 piglets per litter. The only thing is that you need to feed this horde with something, as young animals add up to 700 grams of weight per day.

Breeders have determined that voluminous foods are the best food for this species. The fastest 'hogs' gain muscle and fat on potatoes, corn silage and similar raw materials.

5th place: Landrace (up to 330 kg live weight)

Rating: 4.6

Landrace is the first pig breed bred specifically for bacon production. The selection was carried out in Denmark using local representatives. They crossed them with a large white pig, and included more protein products of animal origin in the diet.

As a result, the Landrace carcass contains a large amount of lean meat. The subcutaneous fat layer is rather thin. Nevertheless, thanks to its several layers, interspersed with inserts of muscle, it makes excellent bacon.

The main advantage of the Landrace is 'early maturity'. So, the animal reaches a weight of 100 kilograms after only six months of feeding. The only thing worth considering is the high demands on the conditions of detention, as well as the need to include animal proteins in the diet. Only then will meat and other products be really tasty.

Due to the 'early maturity' and pleasant taste of meat, landrace is widespread in domestic animal husbandry. They are found both in subsidiary farms and on large industrial farms. Adult boars can reach a weight of 330 kilograms, but usually they go to slaughter a little earlier – at around 300 kg.

Also, Landrace is used for the formation of offspring from pigs of other breeds. They easily mate with common species on the farm, and 10-12 crossed piglets are obtained in the litter. The taste of their meat is also excellent.

4th place: Ukrainian steppe white pig (up to 350 kg of live weight)

Rating: 4.7

The Ukrainian steppe white pig is one of the most common breeds in animal husbandry in the respective country. It was developed by the National Agrarian Academy on the basis of the Askania-Nova biosphere reserve, located in the Kherson region, and was first documented in 1934. Today, it is actively grown in the south of Ukraine, as well as in Russia in the Rostov region, Stavropol and Krasnodar regions. In addition, the breed is represented in several countries of the post-Soviet space.

This geography of distribution is explained by the fact that the breed survives best in hot, arid climates. In moderate weather conditions, pigs do not do so well, gain weight slowly and reach marketable weight.

The breed belongs to the universal, meat-feeding direction. It assimilates well feed compounds that are not too rich in nutrients (for example, vegetable raw materials and other bulk feed), unpretentious to keeping conditions. Weight gains relatively slowly – it reaches the mark of 100 kg by the age of about 7-8 months – but it grows to a significant size. The mass of an adult boar can be 300-350 kilograms. Lethal yield – up to 84%.

3rd place: Large white pig (up to 370 kg live weight)

Rating: 4.8

The large white pig is one of the most famous and most 'ancient' breeds. It was bred by English breeders back in the century before last. Now this breed is one of the most popular in Russian agriculture, as it is perfectly adapted to a temperate climate and is not demanding on keeping conditions. But she suffers from the heat and sun, which is due to the white color of the animal.

According to research, approximately 85% of the total pig population in Russia is represented by this particular breed. It belongs to the universal, meat-sucking type, therefore it perfectly satisfies the needs for products. In addition, it is very massive – the weight of adult boars can reach 370 kilograms.

The large white pig occupies a special place in the selection of other breeds. It has often been used for crossbreeding with native species in an attempt to achieve better agricultural properties. And quite successfully. Almost all breeds in our rating have a large white pig in their 'pedigree'.

The main advantage of the breed is the excellent taste of meat. It is not lean, as it might seem, but marble. The muscle fibers in the cut are permeated with strips of fat. Thanks to this structure, it retains its tenderness and juiciness during heat treatment, which is especially popular with customers.

2nd place: Duroc (up to 370 kg live weight)

Rating: 4.9

Duroc is a bacon and meat pig breed brought from America. It is quite different from other species. Firstly, the duroc has a characteristic color (suit) – from golden to brick red, even cherry red is found. And secondly, pigs of this species have huge, very noticeable and impressive hams. Actually, for the sake of them, they were withdrawn.

The taste of the meat removed from these pigs is excellent. Partly due to the fact that normal development requires strict control of the diet of animals, adding more protein products to it. But they are not so whimsical to the conditions of detention and weather, and can be grown in a variety of climatic zones. Is that for Russia and the CIS countries, Duroc are still too exotic pigs.

Durk's early maturity is also at an excellent level. They reach a mass of 100 kilograms in less than six months, adding up to 940 grams of live weight per day. However, in the future, the growth rates slow down somewhat. Adult boars aged 2-3 years can weigh up to 370 kilograms. The lethal yield is up to 86%.

Fertility of female dyurk is less than that of other pigs, and is up to 9-10 piglets. However, sows take care of their offspring, which guarantees a high survival rate. Duroc, in principle, is distinguished by a good, calm disposition, but females during parenting show their best sides – they give a lot of milk and take care of the offspring.

1st place: Large black pig (up to 400 kg of live weight)

Rating: 5.0

A universal breed related to the meat-feeding orientation. These black 'hogs' are the biggest pigs in the world! Individual boars can grow up to 400 kilograms, although most of them stop gaining weight already at around 350 kg. More than 50% of the weight is clean, lean meat. Another 40% is already fat.

Large black pigs are distinguished by proportional conformation and dark color with rather long bristles. However, the overall picture is spoiled by some folding of the skin, as a result of which the animals are not as beautiful as representatives of other species. But usually pigs are not kept for the exterior.

Large black pigs are well bred. There can be up to 12 piglets in one litter. In addition, boars of this breed are easily crossed with representatives of other species – for example, with a large white. This helps to increase the survival rate of the offspring and improve the palatability of the meat.

An important disadvantage of the large black pig is its relatively slow weight gain. Animals, as a rule, reach the mark of 100 kg at 7-8 months of existence. For 1 kg of weight gain, it is required to spend up to 4.5 feed units. Nevertheless, weight gain is stable and long-lasting, that is, by 3-4 years of life, boars 'grow fat' to almost half a ton.

Attention! This rating is subjective and does not constitute an advertisement and does not serve as a purchase guide. Before buying, you need to consult with a specialist.