Berkshire pig
The Berkshire pig is a breed of pig from Great Britain .
Breeding history
Berkshire pigs are considered to be the oldest breed in Britain. They originally come from the area around the towns of Faringdon and Wantage , which at that time still belonged to the county of Berkshire (now Oxfordshire ). Apparently they became popular after being 'discovered' by Oliver Cromwell's forces while they were stationed in Reading during the English Civil War . Today the breed is one of the endangered domestic animal breeds.
The Japanese breeding line of the Berkshire pig is known under the name Kurobuta (黒 豚, black pig). The Berkshire pigs were originally brought to Japan as a gift from British diplomats in the 18th century. The marbled meat is highly valued , just like the Japanese Kobe beef .
In Hungary, the Berkshire pig is one of the so-called salami pigs , which are specially bred in the Szeged area for winter salami .
Characteristics
- Color black, often with white spots on legs, face, tips of ears and tail
- Trunk arched, medium length
- Ears standing or slightly bent forward, relatively large
- delicate, wrinkle-free neck
- curved shoulder
- Belly line straight
- Foundation short, straight
- precocious
Berkshire pigs in literature
- Ems of Blandings by PG Wodehouse , the fattening pig at Blandings Castle , Lord Emsworth's family seat, which occasionally can onlybe saved from kidnapping and worseby the intervention of Butler Beach and Lord Emsworth's brother Galahad Threepwood .
- Pigling Bland by Beatrix Potter
- Napoleon in Animal Farm by George Orwell
- Marquise von Hogsford in “ Professor van Dusen lets the pig out” by Michael Koser
Web links
- Farm animal ark Suderbruch, diverse initiative for the conservation of endangered domestic animal breeds (VIEH, ed.): The breed portrait: The Berkshire pig .
- Oklahoma State University - Breeds of Livestock - Berkshire