An Introduction to the Pig Breeds Most Commonly Farmed in China and Their Characteristics
Pigs are a common domestic animal, and many families keep pigs at home. From last year to this year, pig farmers have been deeply affected by African swine fever, and the pig farming industry is facing major problems. But recently the rise in pork prices is expected to be caused by African swine fever leading to market supply falling short of demand, which in turn has driven prices up, and at this time raising pigs is believed to have fairly good prospects, so with so many pig breeds, which one is best to raise? Let's take a look at the pig breeds.
1. Northeast Min Pig
The Northeast Min Pig is an excellent native pig breed in China, ranking first in the world ranking of native pig breeds, and is an ancient native pig breed originating from the three northeastern provinces. It has three types: large (Da Min Pig), medium (Er Min Pig) and small (Hebao Pig). It has the outstanding characteristics of large litters, good meat quality, cold resistance and tolerance of coarse feed, and has attracted attention both at home and abroad.
2. Liangguang Small Spotted Pig
Luchuan Pig, Fumian Pig, Gongguan Pig, Huangtang Pig, Tangzhui Pig, Zhongdong Pig and Guixu Pig are collectively known as the Liangguang Small Spotted Pig. It has a short body, short neck, short ears, short body, short legs and short tail, so it is also called the Six-Short Pig. It is mainly distributed in the southern part of the Xunjiang and Xijiang river basins bordering Guangdong and Guangxi provinces.
3. Xiang Pig
The Xiang Pig has a short, small body and is famous nationwide for its small size, early maturity and fresh-tasting meat. The Xiang Pig, also known as the "mini pig," is from the Qiandongnan region of Guizhou, which has been awarded the title "Hometown of Chinese Xiang Pigs." The Xiang Pig has thin skin and fine meat. The meat can be processed into salted meat, roast meat and cured meat. Its feeding and management are relatively extensive, and it can be kept either free-range or in pens.
4. Ningxiang Pig
Ningxiang Pig, also known as Ningxiang Native Spotted Pig, is produced in the area of Liusha River and Caochong in Ningxiang County, and is one of China's four famous pig breeds. Apart from Tibet and Taiwan, China, all other provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions have introduced Ningxiang Pigs. Ningxiang Pig has the characteristics of a high reproductive rate, early maturity and easy fattening, loose meat texture and tolerance of coarse feed, and is also docile and highly adaptable during the rearing process.
5. Taihu Pig
The Taihu Pig is the pig breed with the largest litter size in the world and enjoys the reputation of a "national treasure." The Taihu Pig belongs to the Jianghai-type pig breed and is produced in the Taihu Lake basin of the Jiangsu-Zhejiang region. It is a famous native breed in China with strong reproductive capacity and large litters.
6. Landrace Pig
The Landrace Pig is an excellent bacon-type pig breed in the world, mainly developed by crossbreeding local pigs with Large Yorkshire Pigs. It is white all over, with a narrow, long head, a long back and loin, a well-developed hindquarters, full thighs and long legs. It grows and develops quickly, has a high feed conversion rate, thin skin and a lot of lean meat, but it has high requirements for feeding and management conditions.
7. Jinhua Pig
The Jinhua Pig is one of China's famous excellent pig breeds. The Jinhua Pig has excellent traits such as early maturity, good meat quality and a high reproductive rate, and the "Jinhua ham" cured from Jinhua Pigs has a beautiful appearance and is famous at home and abroad. Jinhua Pig meat and fat are of good quality, with bright red muscle color, strong water-holding capacity, tenderness and juiciness, and it is rich in intramuscular fat.
Of course, besides the seven breeds introduced above, there are still many pig breeds that have not been mentioned, but if we are going to raise pigs, then choosing these breeds is also very good; after all, they are well known, and it is believed that the market for them will be broader.
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