LARGE BLACK HOGS A RARE HERITAGE BREED HOG KNOWN FOR IT'S TENDER MOIST MEAT AND IT'S CALM DOCILE TEMPERAMENT TINY TEXAS RANCH  A division of Wolfe Mountain Farms

Registered Old Spot Pigs available August 2010:

The Large Black Pig is a true grazing pig perfect for sustainable agriculture's "pastured pork."  Once you experience the joy of raising such a docile pig on open pasture and taste the exquisite pork it produces, you too will be sold on the Large Black Hog.  Although the name "Large Black Hog" certainly describes this breed, it's not just a description, it's the registered breed name for this rare heritage hog.

Heritage Breeds

My husband and I have raised other hogs but have found the “heritage” breeds to be the easiest to raise and the best tasting. Heritage breeds are the many breeds of old time hogs used in Europe and early America such as the Large Black.  Of all the heritage breeds, the Large Black is our favorite.  They were selected for their taste, ease of rearing, and hardiness. These breeds are mostly foraging hogs in that they will glean a great amount of their feed from pasture vegetation. They are now rare and hard to find because they aren’t used by the commercial breeders since they are slower to mature.

The History of Large Blacks

The Large Black is believed to have been developed in the late 1800's from Chinese breeds brought to England.  They are of the "bacon" type, or meat producer, instead of the "lard" type common of that day.   They became known as the Devon or Cornwall pigs from their area of origin before becoming just the "Large Black."  By the 1900's the Large Blacks were spread throughout Britain in outdoor pork production operations.  They were favored for many reasons including their hardiness, mothering ability, milk production and prolificacy.  The Large Black is a very efficient pork producer because it can glean a large portion of it's food from grazing.  Unlike many breeds of hog, their black skin protects them from sunburn and enables them to live outdoors on open pastures. 

The Large Blacks were imported into the U.S. in the 1950's and again in the 1990's where they were breed by a hand full of breeders for the exquisite and unique taste of the Large Black's pork.  When processed at around 200 pounds, the pork is lean yet micro-marbled for a moist product on the grill or in the oven.  The texture of the pork is extra tender due to the short muscle fibers which has earned it a place in some of the most exclusive restaurants in New York and Europe.  Large Blacks are also famous for their excellent bacon.

The Large Blacks are aptly named large since they can reach weights upwards of 700 pounds.  They have long deep bodies with strong backs and are always solid black.  Their ears are large and hang forward covering the eyes and most of the face.  They are among the most docile and friendly breed of hogs alive today.  The pigs start out shy but soon bond with people to the point of following them around until they give in and scratch their bellies.  We have seen children play with the Large Blacks without a problem and have never had one make an aggressive move toward a person yet.  Our mother sows are protective yet tolerant of our gentle handling of their young.

Large Blacks Are The Breed For Today

Small farmers and sustainable agriculture enterprises are looking for a pig that can be raised outdoors and then pastured to produce a quality product for an ever increasing niche market.  The Large Black meets that need on many levels.  First, the taste and quality of this pork guarantees a steady stream of customers who are willing to pay a premium for all natural pastured pork.  Second, this hardy breed was created for outdoor pasture hog operations over a hundred years ago so they are perfect for the sustainable movement of today.  These hogs don't "root" the way most other breeds do as long as there is vegetation above ground for them to graze.  We never ring their noses and have had no pastures destroyed.

Third, the Large Black's slow and docile temperament makes them a joy to raise.  They are safe on family farms where they will gladly interact with children and other animals.  Unlike many breeds that can become aggressive, this breed seems to enjoy human contact and we have never had a Large Black turn on us in an aggressive or dangerous manner.  Temperament was the least of our concerns when we selected this breed but it has proven to be invaluable in the care and raising of this majestic hog.          

It's not too late

Many times we discover that progress is not progress at all, but by then it's often too late to go back.  Well, it's not too late for the Large Black, yet.  Most of us were not even aware of the changes to the hog industry until the change was complete.  We just knew that pork was economical and readily available at the local market.  It was only later that we began to notice that it had lost it's taste and worse yet, was full of chemicals.  There is a back lash taking place across America now where people are demanding tasty and safe pork again.  The Large Black can fill that need whether you want to raise your own meat on a few acres or want to raise natural pork to fill a local niche market. 

This amazing breed is listed as Critically Endangered by the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy, of which we are a member.  Because of our love of this animal, we have made it our mission to keep this breed pure and help others obtain their own breeding herds.  We have a waiting list for our weaned pigs so call or email us today for information about the next availability.  All pigs come with registration papers. 

By Kay Wolfe