The Berkshire Breed
The breed originated in the Thames Valley, possibly around Wantage, circa 1790. It began as a large tawny red pig, spotted with black. The ears were inclined to be pendulous, the body long and thick, with short legs and plenty of bone. By the early 1800s, the breed had become lighter in the head and ears, shorter and more compact with less bone.
The breed originated in the Thames Valley, possibly around Wantage, circa 1790. It began as a large tawny red pig, spotted with black. The ears were inclined to be pendulous, the body long and thick, with short legs and plenty of bone. By the early 1800s, the breed had become lighter in the head and ears, shorter and more compact with less bone.
In the middle of the 20th century, there was a decline in the number of Berkshires being kept, which resulted in the near extinction of the breed in England.
With the introduction of new blood from Australia, New Zealand and the USA, the breed has made great progress in recent years, both numerically and in carcass quality.
Although the pig is primarily black in colour, the Berkshire carcass dresses out
completely white, and has a high proportion of lean meat to fat. The flesh is fine
in texture, a lower acidity than other pork breeds and a distinct flavour. The Berkshire
is early finishing, which means the ideal carcass is around 36-
