The Large Black Pig

The Large Black Pig has such an uncreative name because it is (as you will have guessed by now) large and black. They are well recognised for their large ears which droop over their face, possibly contributing to their docile and non-aggressive temperament. They are also known as the 'Elephant Pig', not because of their large size, but because the newborn piglets look very much like a tiny black elephant with their large ears and straight tail.

In the past they were used mainly for bacon production, but breeders have selected for a more bacon type pig so today the breed can be used for both pork and bacon. They are prolific breeders, with the sows producing large quantities of milk for their piglets. It is a hardy breed, and because of its colour and grazing ability it is suited to free range and extensive production systems. They mature later than other breeds.

Unfortunately for the Large Black, its distinctive colour which makes it so well suited to the outdoors make it less popular with pig processors, who claim that the black skin is harder to clean. This trend to prefer pink pigs has pushed the Large Black towards extinction; it is critically endangered in many countries.

The breed became so rare in New Zealand that at one point there was only one purebred sow. Fortunately members of the Rare Breeds Trust succeeded in saving her and importing a boar (and several other Large Black pigs) from Nearby Australia. Even between countries with a similar disease status it was still very difficult to import pigs, which makes maintaining the genetic diversity of a breed within one country particularly important.

The Large Black has many fans among pig breeders and is undergoing a resurgence with the slow food movement and the popularity of hobby farms. Part of this is because it looks so different from the pigs frequently seen in factory settings. Another part of its new found popularity is it's gentle nature, floppy ears and fantastic mothering abilities.