Livestock Breed Identification: Swine

-Student Notes
Directions:
Fill in the blanks.

1. American Landrace
• Origin:
– Denmark; origin traces to Danish Landrace which were first
imported into the U.S. by the United States Department of
Agriculture in 1934
• Characteristics:
– exceptionally long bodied with 16/17 ribs with large, drooping ears
– face is long and narrow
conformation is similar to most other breeds in that a
– body _____________
long, deep, wide-sprung body conformation is desired
– some show weakness in the _____________,
topline almost to the point
of being sway-back because of their extreme length
– white in color

Accompanies: Livestock Breed Identification: Swine 1

 Livestock Breed Identification: Swine
-Student Notes
2. American Landrace
• Characteristics cont.:
– disqualifications for registration of purebreds includes; black hairs
and fewer than six teats on each side of the udder
• Size:
– mature boars weigh 700 to 900 lbs.; some, depending on
conditions, will weigh in the range of 550 to 750 lbs.
• Usage:
– best suited for use in crossbreeding systems with breeds of U.S.
origin
maternal
– highly valued by commercial swine producers for _____________
traits which the females have such as prolificacy, mothering ability
and fast _____________
growth rate
– high percent carcass weight

Accompanies: Livestock Breed Identification: Swine 2

 Livestock Breed Identification: Swine
-Student Notes
3. Berkshire
• Origin:
– England; thought to have originated from crosses of the old
English hog and hogs of Chinese and _____________
siamese origin
– improved in the Berkshire region of England during the 1800s and
imported to the United States in 1823
• Characteristics:
– have black coats, white feet and legs, a white stripe on the face
and a white tip on the tail
– lack of white on one or more of the points is tolerated for
registration
– face should be broad and slightly dished; snout should be
medium
somewhat short; _____________ dish of face is desired, enough
to lend breed distinction
– ears should be medium in size, set well apart and be erect

Accompanies: Livestock Breed Identification: Swine 3

 Livestock Breed Identification: Swine
-Student Notes
4. Berkshire
• Characteristics cont.:
prominent
– jowl is firm, yet more _____________ than on other breeds
– should be alert, vigorous and have sound feet and legs
predominant breeds of swine
– are one of the most _____________
• Size:
– smaller-sized
– mature boars should weigh approximately 650 to 800 lbs.; mature
sows weigh approximately 450 to 650 lbs.
• Usage:
– produce good quality carcasses which have a desirable ratio of
lean to fat
– have been used in crossbreeding programs
– sows are prolific enough to produce economically for the average
producer and boars are active breeders

5. Chester White
• Origin:
– United States; Chester County, Pennsylvania
– foundation stock included imported swine of English Yorkshire,
Lincolnshire and _____________
cheshire
• Characteristics:
– as the name indicates, is all white
– ideal body conformation of the Chester White encompasses good
depth
length of side, _____________ and width indicated by a wide
stance at the floor of the chest and between the hind legs

Accompanies: Livestock Breed Identification: Swine 4

 Livestock Breed Identification: Swine
-Student Notes
6. Chester White
• Characteristics cont.:
– should have a semi-level topline from head to tail
length
– head is medium in _____________ with a slightly dished face and
drooping ears
• Size:
– regarded as medium-size at maturity
– mature boars will range from 600 to 900 lbs. depending on stage
of condition, while the sows will fall in the 500 to 700 lb. range
• Usage:
– considerable number are produced as purebreds, however, this
milking
breed inherits maternal traits – prolificacy, _____________ and
mothering ability

Accompanies: Livestock Breed Identification: Swine 5

 Livestock Breed Identification: Swine
-Student Notes
7. Duroc
• Origin:
– United States; originally called the Duroc-Jersey, originated in the
northeastern United States
– developed through the crossbreeding of the Jersey Red and the
Red Duroc
• Characteristics:
– vary in color; acceptable colors may range from light golden to
very dark red
– face should be slightly ________
dished and the snout medium in length
– ears should be drooping
– raggedness of conformation, spring of rib, width between the front
bodies
legs and deep _____________ are preferred
– very adaptable to a variety of conditions, and as a result are
raised in many areas of the U.S., Canada, South America and
other regions of the world

8. Duroc
• Size:
– large, rugged breed
mature
– _____________ boars weigh in the range of 750 to 1,100 lbs. and
sows usually weigh approximately 500 to 700 lbs.
• Usage:
– considered one of the Boar Breeds and are often used as sires in
three-breed rotational crosses for commercial crossed operations
– mild temperament, good performance traits and good mothering
ability have also made them a popular _____________
purebred enterprise
– early-maturing and produce good quality carcasses

Accompanies: Livestock Breed Identification: Swine 6

 Livestock Breed Identification: Swine
-Student Notes
9. Hampshire
• Origin:
– thought to have originated in England and imported to the U.S. in
the early 1800s
• Characteristics:
– must be black with a white band encircling the shoulders,
including the front legs and feet in order to be registered; white on
the head, on hind legs above the butt of the ham and white
covering more than two-thirds of the body is not tolerated
– some are longer andstraighter
________ in their faces than other breeds
– ears should be erect, however some today have ears tilted to
some degree
– have a more _____________
active disposition than some breeds

10. Hampshire
• Characteristics cont.:
– improvement has been made in the breed in recent years and loin
eyes are usually among the best when compared to other breeds
• Size:
– medium-size
– mature boars weigh about 700 to 900 lbs. and sows about 550 to
750 lbs.
• Usage:
– produce very high quality carcasses
_____________ with little waste
– considered one of the Boar Breeds; often utilized as sires in
crossbreed operations
mothers
– sows are considered good _____________

Accompanies: Livestock Breed Identification: Swine 7

 Livestock Breed Identification: Swine
-Student Notes
11. Hereford
• Origin:
– originated on a farm in La Plata, Missouri by R.U. Webber
– developed by primarily crossing Durocs and Chesters
• Characteristics:
Hereford
– resemble the markings of _____________ cattle
– must have a red body, two white feet and white face and ears
– must be 2/3 red and no more than 1/3 white
– medium length face with a slight dish
Passive
– _____________ disposition

12. Hereford
• Size:
– medium to large _____________
frame size
– mature boars weigh about 700 to 900 lbs.
– sows about 550 to 750 lbs.
• Usage:
carcasses
– produce very high quality _____________ with little waste
– good mothering ability

13. Pietrain
• Origin:
– originated in Pietrain, Belgium
• Characteristics:
black
– white base color with _____________ spots
black
– each _____________ spot is surrounded by rings of light
pigmentation
– erect ears

14. Pietrain
• Size:
– large frame size
muscled
– heavy _____________ with relatively small amounts of fat
– mature boars weigh about 700 to 900 lbs.
– sows about 550 to 750 lbs.
• Usage:
– improving quality of market swine
meat
– _____________ production
– improving mothering characteristics in some breeds

Accompanies: Livestock Breed Identification: Swine 8

 Livestock Breed Identification: Swine
-Student Notes
15. Poland China
• Origin:
– United States; originated in Kentucky
– developed through the crossing and refining of Russian, Berkshire
and Grazer hogs
• Characteristics:
– medium in length and _____________
rugged in their makeup
– some are short and steep in their rump, but usually carry down
into deep, wide, full hams
– has a face of medium length which is slightly dished with drooping
ears
– black in color with white _____________
points on all four feet, the of
the nose and tip of the tail

16. Poland China

• Size:
– one of the _____________
largest breeds of swine
– boars often weigh between 850 to 1,000 lbs.; sows usually weigh
about 650 to 900 lbs.
• Usage:
– known for having _____________
sound feet and legs and producing
high quality carcasses
– excellent feeders and gain readily

Accompanies: Livestock Breed Identification: Swine 9

 Livestock Breed Identification: Swine
-Student Notes
17. Red Wattle
• Origin:
Caledonia
– originated in New _____________
– came to the United States in the late 1700s by the French
• Characteristics:
– solid red
– erect ears
neck
– pair of wattles hanging from the _____________

18. Red Wattle

• Size:
– medium frame size
– can range from 400 to 600 lbs.
• Usage:
lean
– _____________ meat with little fat
– not a _____________
popular swine breed in the United States for meat
production

19. Spot
• Origin:
– United States; originated in Indiana
– developed from the Glauces Spotted hog of England and Poland
China _____________,
bloodlines thus leading to the former breed name
Spotted Poland China
• Characteristics:
– body conformation and head and ear characteristics are similar to
Poland China
desired
– most _____________ color is spotted black and white – 50
percent of each
– have good length of side, should be deep sided with adequate
width, as evidenced by spring of rib
– face is medium in length and slightly dished with drooping ears

Accompanies: Livestock Breed Identification: Swine 10

 Livestock Breed Identification: Swine
-Student Notes
20. Spot
• Size:
– similar in size to the Poland China
– well-fitted, mature boars weigh 750 to 1,000 lbs.; the sows weigh
about 500 to 700 lbs
• Usage:
– has enjoyed some recent popularity ranking in the top four
annually
numbers of purebreds registered _____________ in the U.S.
– used today in many crossbreed programs as well as being raised
as purebreds
prolificacy
– strengths include satisfactory _____________, growth rate and
structural soundness

21. Tamworth
• Origin:
– originated in Ireland
– English swine breed
– most improvement of the Tamworth breed took place in England
• Characteristics:
– solid red
– erect ears
– deep-sided and have an _____________
arched back
– long, narrow
_____________ face and snout

Accompanies: Livestock Breed Identification: Swine 11

 Livestock Breed Identification: Swine
-Student Notes
22. Tamworth
• Size:
medium
– _____________ frame size
– can range from 500 to 800 lbs.
• Usage:
– meat production
mothering
– excellent _____________ abilities
– protective

23. Vietnamese Potbelly

• Origin:
– originated in Vietnam
– were first introduced to Sweden and Canada then a variety of
other countries
– first introduced into America in 1985
• Characteristics:
– short _____________
stature
ratio
– high fat to muscle _____________
– can be a variety of colors or patterns

Accompanies: Livestock Breed Identification: Swine 12

 Livestock Breed Identification: Swine
-Student Notes
24. Vietnamese Potbelly
• Size:
– _____________
small frame size
– can range from 100 to over 200 lbs.
• Usage:
– commonly used for pets in the United States
– produce select cuts of _____________

25. Yorkshire
• Origin:
– England; first improvement in the breed was made in the
Yorkshire _____________
region and surrounding counties
– first imported to the United States in the 1830s
• Characteristics:
– face should be broad with a medium dish and the snout should be
medium in length with a broad nostril
– ears should be medium to large in size and erect, yet some today
have ears _____________
tilted forward
– jowl should be reasonably trim
– all white in color; black hair or pigmentation disqualifies for
registry; black or bluish skin pigment is discriminated against

Accompanies: Livestock Breed Identification: Swine 13

 Livestock Breed Identification: Swine
-Student Notes
26. Yorkshire
• Size:
– considered one of the largest breeds of swine when first
introduced into the U.S.; today _____________
extreme size is not
considered as necessary by breeders
– boars usually weigh between 700 to 1,000 lbs.; sows weigh about
500 to 800 lbs.
• Usage:
– one of the more popular breeds being raised in the U.S. today
– are considered one of the best breeds for crossbreeding
– commonly used in three-breed rotational crosses and two-breed
crosses
– sows are often called the Mother Breed because of their
prolificacy, _____________
milking and mothering ability
– adequate in muscling despite being classified as a bacon-type
breed; have an adequate percentage of lean to fat and yield good
quality carcasses

Accompanies: Livestock Breed Identification: Swine 14