Pig Breeds
Learn to distinguish between the different pig breeds, from popular consumer hogs like Berkshire to traditional heritage breeds like Gloucestershire Old Spot. Below is your complete guide to popular U.S. breeds. Click on an image to learn more.
Most hogs bred for consumption are the offspring of one of five dark-breed boars bred to one of three white-breed sows. Dark-breed boars enhance the meat quality of their offspring, while white-breed sows produce more piglets and their maternal instincts help more piglets survive. There are many combinations of breeds and genetic lines used to influence the characteristics each producer looks for with regard to meat quality, farming method and the hog market. Below are the typical breeds actively used in crossbreeding.
Heritage breeds come from bloodlines going back hundreds of years, when livestock was raised on multi-use, open-pasture farms. Due to environmental factors and inherent genes, breeds became known for specific characteristics, including the rich and hearty taste of their meat, distinct marbling, bacon flavors and creamy fat. These breeds still carry excellent qualities today but many are not suited for commercial farming and are in danger of being lost. As fewer heritage breed pigs are grown, their gene pool decreases, and some breeds are now critically rare. In today’s commercial market, heritage breeds cannot compete with commodity pigs. Courtesy of and copyrighted Cochon555