The Cumberland was a breed of
domestic pig
The pig (''Sus domesticus''), often called swine, hog, or domestic pig when distinguishing from other members of the genus '' Sus'', is an omnivorous, domesticated, even-toed, hoofed mammal. It is variously considered a subspecies of ''Sus s ...
that originated in the North of
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...
; it was used to produce local delicacies like the
Cumberland sausage
Cumberland sausage is a pork sausage that originated in the ancient county of Cumberland, England, now part of Cumbria. It is traditionally very long, up to , and sold rolled in a flat, circular coil, but within western Cumbria, it is more often s ...
and Cumberland
ham. The breed became extinct in 1960, after changes in farming methods and a demand for less fatty meat led to it falling out of favour.
History and characteristics
The Cumberland was a very old breed that likely developed over several hundred years in
Cumberland
Cumberland ( ) is a historic county in the far North West England. It covers part of the Lake District as well as the north Pennines and Solway Firth coast. Cumberland had an administrative function from the 12th century until 1974. From 19 ...
and
Westmorland
Westmorland (, formerly also spelt ''Westmoreland'';R. Wilkinson The British Isles, Sheet The British IslesVision of Britain/ref> is a historic county in North West England spanning the southern Lake District and the northern Dales. It had an ...
, and was closely related to the Old Yorkshire white pig. It was a heavy-set white animal with pendulous ears, and had a tough constitution enabling it to withstand the poor weather of Northern England.
The breed grew quickly to above-average size, with a high fat content.
During the 19th century, many efforts were made to 'improve' pig breeds, and the Cumberland was often crossed with the Yorkshire white breeds. These eventually developed into the
Large White
''Pieris brassicae'', the large white, also called cabbage butterfly, cabbage white, cabbage moth (erroneously), or in India the large cabbage white, is a butterfly in the family Pieridae. It is a close relative of the small white, ''Pieris ra ...
,
Small White, and
Middle White. The Cumberland Pig Breeders' Association was created in 1916, and the breed reached a height of popularity during the 1920s.
The Cumberland began to fall out of favour in the mid-20th century due to a demand for leaner meat. In 1955, the Advisory Committee on the Development of Pig Production in the United Kingdom, chaired by Sir
Harold Howitt,
[''Development of pig production in the United Kingdom: report of the Advisory Committee on Development of Pig Production in the United Kingdom'', HMSO, 1955] issued a report that pig farmers in the UK, to ensure standardisation, should concentrate on three breeds: the Large White,
Welsh
Welsh may refer to:
Related to Wales
* Welsh, referring or related to Wales
* Welsh language, a Brittonic Celtic language spoken in Wales
* Welsh people
People
* Welsh (surname)
* Sometimes used as a synonym for the ancient Britons (Celtic peop ...
, and
Landrace. By this time, the Cumberland stock was already dwindling; only three boars were licensed by 1954.
The Cumberland pig is considered to have become extinct in 1960 after the last individual, a sow belonging to a Mr. Thirwall, died on Bothel Craggs farm in
Bothel.
Re-creation
In 2008, a
Penrith animal conservation centre "recreated" the Cumberland pig based on DNA analysis and selective breeding; farmers who had worked with the last surviving originals agreed that the new pig was a good match in appearance. It is hoped that the new pigs resulting from the programme will in future be a source of authentic Cumberland hams and sausages: however, whilst the
Rare Breeds Survival Trust
The Rare Breeds Survival Trust is a conservation charity whose purpose is to secure the continued existence and viability of the native farm animal genetic resources (FAnGR) of the United Kingdom. It was founded in 1973 by Joe Henson to prese ...
commented that they appreciated the project, they stated they would not recognise the breed as a true Cumberland pig.
In 2008, after years of selective breeding, a sow was born with a 99.6% DNA match for the Cumberland. However, it proved infertile.
"Cumberland pig bred to restart extinct breed is infertile"
''Cumberland News'', 19 March 2010.
The original Cumberland pig's genetic heritage is also present in the Middle White and possibly in the Chester White breed of the United States.
See also
* Oxford Sandy and Black, another re-created breed
References
External links
Livestock Farming on the Solway Plain - downloadable image of the Cumberland PigBorder Film Archive, video of last Cumberland Pig
{{British livestock, R.2
Cumberland
Extinct British pig breeds
Pig breeds
Pig breeds originating in England
Pig landraces