There are black breeds of lard, fatty and meat pigs. The choice of a specific variety depends on the climate, food supply, and purpose of cultivation. Thanks to ongoing breeding work, the important characteristics by which animals are evaluated are improving every year.
Common breeds of black pigs
The number of breeds grown by farmers, private owners, and industrial enterprises is increasing.Black varieties of meat, bacon, and lard varieties have long been in demand among pig farmers.
Black and white
This group unites several species of pigs with a peculiar black-and-white coloration. It includes the Belarusian, North Caucasian, Mirgorod and Pietrain breeds. The most popular meat and fat variety, which was bred in Belarus. Pied piglets are bred by pig farmers in Ukraine, Kazakhstan and throughout Russia.
| Belarusian Black-and-White (characteristics) | Boar | Sow |
| Body dimensions | Length - 1.8 m | Length - 1.6 m |
| Weight | Up to 350 kg | 245 kg |
| Norm of daily weight gain | 750 g | |
| % meat | 57% | |
| % fat | 33% | |
| Lard thickness | 31 mm | |
Characteristic features of animals of this breed:
- dark color, presence of whitish and reddish tan marks;
- powerful build, strong back, slightly rounded sides, wide chest;
- There are no folds on the skin.
Motley pigs, bred in Belarus, live on pasture in the summer and are unpretentious in their food supply. They have stable immunity and average early maturity. Fattening young animals gain 100 kg in 180-190 days. Sows are endowed with good maternal instinct, they bear and give birth to 9-12 viable cubs at farrowing.
| Indicators | Pietrain breed | Mirgorod pigs | North Caucasian pigs |
| Weight | Boars 200-260 kg, sows 170-220 kg | Boars 310-320 kg, sows 220 kg | Boars 350 kg, sows 225 kg |
| Daily weight gain | 500-550 g | 500-600 g | 700-750 g |
| % meat | 70% | 50% | 55% |
| % fat | 30% | 35% | 30% |
| Lard thickness | 5-10 mm | 45 mm | 24-29 mm |
| Direction | Bacon | Sebaceous | Meat |
| Skin color | White-pink with dark spots | Light with dark and brown spots | Black with light or brown spots |
| Precocity | 210 days | 180 days | 180-210 days |
| Bristle | Tough, short | A lot of | Soft, thick |
Vietnamese
Puberty in pigs occurs early. A sow is used for breeding as early as 4 months, and boars from 5 months of age. For one farrowing, pig farmers get 12 babies. During the year, the sow piglets twice, so every year the farmer has 24 Vietnamese breed piglets. Vietnamese piglets were recently brought to Europe. The farmers liked them. Advantages that attract European pig farmers:
- lack of aggression;
- fertility;
- quick adaptation to weather conditions;
- stable immunity;
- delicacy meat.
During fattening, boars and sows of the Vietnamese black breed gain 80-130 kg of live weight.
Black and white
In Siberia, a black and white meat breed of pigs was bred, adapted to the harsh climate and local food supply, and called it Kemerovo. They crossed the Siberian northern breed, Landrace and the best representatives of the large white and large black.
| Characteristic | Boar | Sow |
| Body dimensions | Length - 1.8 m | Length - 1.7 m |
| Weight | 3.50 c | 2.25 c |
| Average daily weight gain | 800 g | |
| % meat | 55-60 | |
| Lard (thickness) | 20-23 mm | |
The black and white variety of pigs is raised by farmers in Sakhalin, Tyva, and the Omsk region. They are in demand among pig farmers in the Krasnoyarsk Territory and Kemerovo Region.
Large black
The breed, bred in England, is raised by farmers in the southern regions of the Russian Federation. The large black pig is popular among pig farmers in Ukraine and Belarus. The first purebred pigs were brought to the territory of the former USSR back in 1949. Today, large black piglets are bred in the Krasnodar and Stavropol territories, in the Tula, Voronezh, and Ryazan regions.
| Characteristic | Boar | Sow |
| Body dimensions | Length - 1.73 m | Length - 1.6 m |
| Weight | 3.50 c | 2.50 c |
| Daily weight gain | 700 g | |
| Meat, % | 50 | |
| Salo, % | 40 | |
| Thickness of lard (lard) | 2.5 cm | |
During breeding work, several promising varieties were crossed:
- Chinese;
- Neapolitan;
- English long-eared
Boars and sows of the breed have large black bristles, thick and dark. The head is not large. The neck is massive and short. The chest is barrel-shaped and wide. Legs with large hams, straight.
Rare black breeds
There are rare varieties with a dark color that cannot be found on Russian farms. They come from countries with warm climates.
Guinea pig
In size, an adult Guinea pig is very similar to a piglet. The live weight of adult boars is 100 kg, sows - 50-70 kg, newborn calves - 500 g. The productivity of African pigs is low.
They have very short legs and a massive body. The skin is covered with thick black bristles.
Nero di Parma or Nera Parmesan
Rare Italian breed for meat production. Adult pigs gain weight 190-240 kg. Characteristic features of the exterior:
- barrel-shaped body;
- the neck is massive, not pronounced;
- the head is large;
- folded skin;
- medium sized hams.
The fertility of sows is average - 10 cubs.
Black Iberian pig
A rare variety native to warm countries: Portugal, Spain. Traditionally, Iberian jamon is prepared from the marbled meat of this rare breed. Boars spend most of the year fattening up on pasture. In summer, black Iberian pigs feed on acorns, grass, and roots.
Characteristic features of the exterior:
- the head is not large;
- legs are high;
- the body is rounded, the back is arched;
- skin without bristles, black or gray.
The species is extremely rare and is on the verge of extinction.
Advantages and disadvantages
Pigs with dark skin are kept on pasture in the summer. They are viable and do not react to sudden changes in weather. The living conditions and composition of piglets' feed affect the quality of meat. When pigs are constantly in the barn, they quickly build up their fat layer.
| pros | Minuses |
| Viability | Poor nutrition negates all the benefits |
| Fertility | |
| Productivity | |
| Lack of aggression |
Development prospects and place in domestic pig farming
In Russian conditions, it is profitable to breed the universal meat-and-fat variety, large black. These pigs are adapted to difficult weather conditions. Animals have a calm disposition and stable immunity. The pork is of high quality and good taste.
Large black sows and boars are used as genetic material. When crossed with Large White pigs, promising black and white offspring are obtained that are more fertile, highly productive, and early maturing.
