The British Landrace is a British domestic 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 ...

and one of the most popular in the United Kingdom. It is pink with heavy drooping ears that cover most of the face and is bred for

pork Pork is the culinary name for the meat of the domestic pig (''Sus domesticus''). It is the most commonly consumed meat worldwide, with evidence of pig husbandry dating back to 5000 BCE. Pork is eaten both freshly cooked and preserved; ...

and

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 ...

. The breed originated in the 1949 importation of 12

landrace A landrace is a domesticated, locally adapted, often traditional variety of a species of animal or plant that has developed over time, through adaptation to its natural and cultural environment of agriculture and pastoralism, and due to isolation ...

pigs from Scandinavia — four boars and eight gilts (immature females). In 1950, the British Landrace Pig Society was formed and it opened a

herd book A breed registry, also known as a herdbook, studbook or register, in animal husbandry and the hobby of animal fancy, is an official list of animals within a specific breed whose parents are known. Animals are usually registered by their breede ...

for the first offspring born from the imported 12. They created the first pig testing scheme with a testing station at the village of

Stockton-on-the-Forest Stockton-on-the-Forest is a village and civil parish in the unitary authority of the City of York in North Yorkshire, England. History The village is mentioned in the ''Domesday Book'' as ''Stocthun'' in the ''Bulford hundred''. After the Norma ...

North Yorkshire North Yorkshire is the largest ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county (lieutenancy area) in England, covering an area of . Around 40% of the county is covered by National parks of the United Kingdom, national parks, including most of ...

. The breed's popularity may have contributed to a decline in rare breeds in the United Kingdom. The 1955 Howitt report by the Advisory Committee on the Development of Pig Production advised farmers to increase profitability by focusing on just three breeds of pigs — the British Landrace, 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 ...

and the

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 ...

. Many farmers acted on the report and as a result many rarer pig breeds have declined. In a 1999 book, Jules Pretty said that seven pig breeds had been lost in Britain in the 20th century, and that the industry was now dominated by the British Landrace and the Large White. In 1978, the British Landrace Pig Society joined the National Pig Breeders' Association (now the British Pig Association). In the 1980s the breed was developed and its genetic base was expanded by the importation of new bloodlines from Norway and Finland. These developments have made the British Landrace unique among other Landrace breeds. The British Landrace is also used to improve other breeds. These pigs are found all over the United Kingdom, particularly in the East and in Yorkshire.

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{{Landrace pig breeds navbox Pig breeds Pig breeds originating in England

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