The Hampshire pig is originally from England, where they use the pastures very well, producing meat of excellent quality. Most remarkable of this breed is the excellent quality of meat and it adapts to the tropical regions. This very muscular meat-type pig was developed to provide good channels and when used in crossbreeding its offspring shows evidence of superior quality channels.
The implantation of this breed in Spain has been diminished in the last year, and at the moment it is merely testimonial, with an efficiency of 100 reproducers. It stands out for producing good meaty channels with very little fat. Very good quality canals are obtained in offspring coming from crosses. It is a breed of meat aptitude, like the Pietrain, but with hardly any cases of soft, pale and exudative meats. You May Also Like To Read Essex Pig.
The Hampshire pig has bad productive skills and good quality parameters. It is generally used as meat finishers in crosses, either single or three-way. It is this breed that is usually introduced in crosses to improve the quality of the channel. Meat from Hampshire pigs sometimes shows a very low pH. This results in a low water retention capacity and great cooking losses. This fact has a relation with a gene called the RN gene.
Characteristics of Hampshire Pig
The Hampshire pig is a breed of medium size. Correct shaping with adequate bone. The males reach a weight of up to 180 kilos. While the females arrive to weigh 145 kilos. This breed is usually black with a white stripe that completely surrounds the body at the height of the cross (posterior neck area), including both front limbs.
The head is medium in size, with a broad forehead and vivid eyes with no wrinkles between the orbits. While the ears are medium, erect and slightly inclination up and out. The neck is short with good insertion in its joints with head and trunk and with little dewlap. The back has a good development, deep with adherence to the trunk.
For its part, the back is quite wide and slightly with arches without depressions in its union with the back and the back. The long and broad spine, uniform with the development of the palettes and hams. No muscular deficiencies or depressions in their joints. You May Also Like To Read Berkshire Pig.
The thorax is deep, long, firm and with ribs with a little bow. For its part, the rump is broad, long and deep, with the upper profile slightly descending towards the tail. Also, the buttocks and thighs are very wide, full and well firm, descending until the hock. The tail is high in insertion and well implanted.
Productive Data
- Average daily gain 20-90 kg (g / day) 695grams
- Conversion rate 20-90 kg (kg / kg) 3.25 kg
- Performance of the channel at 90 kg, without head 75%
Attitudes
The main virtues of the breed for use in the meat industry are:
- Good channel performance (high channel quality).
- The high quality of the meat.
- Channels with few incidences of PSE meat.
Geographical Distribution
The scarce number of animals of this race is in Spain, they are mainly by the center zone of the country.
Food
Hampshire pigs have to feed on energy-rich foods such as tubers, roots, fruits, and grains. Similarly, your diet should contain protein-rich foods from cotton, meat, bone and blood flours as well as brewing waste. As well as sufficient water, the quantities of water to be consuming this species vary according to the stage of growth. In addition, the breeders must place in the cages of this race a bucket of salt.
Usage
The use of the Hampshire pig breed mainly is because of its non-sensitivity to stress. As well as its ease of adaptation and the quality of its meat.
Special Feature
The Hampshire pig is a pig of great size and tendency to the production of meat without fat. The females are prolific and good nurses is of correct conformation with adequate skeletal. Mothers for reproduction see their life limited to artificial insemination, pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and the separation of their babies, in a continuous cycle that ends with their murder.
They will remain for almost the entire gestation period of three months and 21 or four months of duration locked and chained in individual metal cages that prevent them from moving, causing them to remain to lie down for the babies to nurse. You May Also Like To Read Pig Farming.
Females of this species can not caress or play with their pups as they normally would. And they do not realize that they bite their mother on their nipples, generating a pain that she could avoid if she were not in such a situation.
Small bristles will be the replacement of their mothers. The number of piglets per litter is 12 on average. This type of breed is very easy to recognize as it is totally unique in comparison with the other races. That is, can be to distinguish between having black color with a white stripe. While the other pigs can appreciate colors like pink, brown, white, among others.
Conclusion
The Hampshire pig is a domestic swine breed characterized by erect ears, a black body, and a white band around the middle, covering the front legs. This guide should help you to better understand this particular type of hog. If you have any questions or are interested in learning about other breeds that exist worldwide please reach out! We would be happy to provide more information.
As A Reference: Wikipedia
