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Middle White pig
| Place of Origin | United Kingdom |
| Origin | The Middle White is a breed of domestic pig native to the United Kingdom. It originated in Yorkshire roughly around the same time as the Large White. Its name comes from the fact that it was between the size of the Large White and the now-extinct Small White. It was fully recognized as a breed in 1884. The breed is known as a pork producer (rather than bacon or lard type pigs), and is best known for its sharply upturned snub nose. It is docile and often kept outdoors in grazing situations. Though its numbers have rebounded somewhat, the breed is listed as endangered by the Rare Breeds Survival Trust. The Small White proved a popular cross with both the Cumberland pig (now extinct) and the Large White, another Yorkshire breed. This was to lead to the creation of a new type after an incident at the 1852 Keighley Agricultural Show, when pigs belonging to Joseph Tuley, a weaver, were refused entry to the Large White class as they were considered too small; they had been bred by crossing Large White sows with Small White boars. Tuley's pigs were, however, considered good enough that a new breed was created, the Middle White, which went on to be one of the most popular breeds of pig during the late nineteenth and early twentieth century: it retains the distinctive pricked ears and short snout of the Small White. |
| Purpose | Meat |
| Characteristics | The Middle White has many of the same general characteristics as the Large White except for size and a much more dished face. It is more early maturing than its large relative and hence, more valued when the object is to produce lightweight marketable pork in a relatively short time. At the Royal Smithfield Show, average weights were 61.8 kg (136 lb) at an average of 17 weeks. The white-coloured swine are well balanced and meaty. They are usually bred straight in England and have not captured much of a share of the commercial market. The breed is found scattered over England today, but has been generally declining in popularity. When crossed with the Large White, they have been successfully incorporated into commercial operations. Despite their smaller size, the sows have been found to rear an average of 8.15 pigs per litter. They are good mothers and are known for their quiet nature. |
