The Dorset Gold Tip was a breed of

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 ...

originating in the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...

. It is now considered

extinct Extinction is the termination of a kind of organism or of a group of kinds (taxon), usually a species. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of the species, although the capacity to breed and ...

Characteristics

The Dorset Gold Tip originated with a Tamworth cross, likely with the

Berkshire Berkshire ( ; in the 17th century sometimes spelt phonetically as Barkeshire; abbreviated Berks.) is a historic county in South East England. One of the home counties, Berkshire was recognised by Queen Elizabeth II as the Royal County of Berk ...

and possibly with some additional Gloucester Old Spot ancestry.Porter, V. ''Pigs: a handbook to the breeds of the world'', Helm, 1993, p.99 The breed had slightly folded (lop) ears, and a coat with a reddish base colour, like the Tamworth, and black spots: the hairs had gold tips, giving the breed its name. The Gold Tip was bred for quick growth, early maturing, and extreme size at a time when fat

bacon Bacon is a type of salt-cured pork made from various cuts, typically the belly or less fatty parts of the back. It is eaten as a side dish (particularly in breakfasts), used as a central ingredient (e.g., the bacon, lettuce, and tomato sand ...

was more desirable than it is today; some specimens were so large they were unable to move out of their pens.Robinson, G. M. ''Sustainable rural systems: sustainable agriculture and rural communities'', Ashgate, 2008, p.85

History

The Gold Tip was originally developed during the 19th century. It was always a relatively rare breed, with few licensed boars appearing on records, although it was regularly exhibited during the 1920s and 1930s. By 1955, only one boar was still registered, although the Dorset Gold Tip Pig Society was still in existence in 1961.''Farmers and Stock Breeders Year Book'', 1961, p.252 The breed may have become extinct in the 1960s or 1970s.

References

Extinct British pig breeds Pig breeds originating in England {{Pig-stub