Pigs : WESSEX SADDLEBACK

Origin: England

Australian Status:

International Status: Considered EXTINCT in its home country the UK.

Arrived in Australia:

Australian Population: Sadly the registrations for purebred Large Whites have fallen to the point that they are on the RBST “to watch” list.

Distribution:

History: Australia’s herd of Wessex Saddlebacks has international significance because the pigs here were imported before the amalgamation or the Essex and Wessex Herdbooks to become the one British Saddleback.  Some preliminary DNA typing is supporting this anecdotal evidence.

The Saddleback was developed as a forager often living and grazing in the New Forest, like the large black they have similar although much shorter lop ears which shield their eyes and allows them to forage in all weather.

Breeds traits: Saddlebacks, although they are good maternal pigs, can be very aggressive and caution should be observed when mixing sows. They have an abundant milk supply and good fecundity.

Saddlebacks, being traditionally prized for their fat, tend to be hard to finish to heavier weights with acceptable fat scores. They can also have pigmentation and the carcass which may still show the stripe and sometimes have "seedy belly" which is pigmentation in the glands in the belly, this aside they make wonderful eating and are listed on the Ark of Taste.

Breed Organisations:

Additional Notes:

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