Profile view of the Poland China breed
History of the Poland China
Labeled as the oldest breed of domesticated hog, there may not be a more diverse history of genetics in one breed than in the Poland China.
While the name of this hog may throw you off at first, the breed is native to the United States, specifically the Ohio area in 1816. A man named John Wallace, a Shaker in the area bougt the first generation of this breed in Philadelphia before transporting them back to his home Union Village, Ohio.
Two of the more well known breeds introduced in cross breeding during its development was the Berkshire and Hampshire. They also used two larger white pigs called Russia & Byfield, while the more orange skinned Irish Grazer being introduced as well.
Bronze plaque, commemorating the first Poland China breed pedigree,
The name of the hog was officially registered at the National Swine Breeders Convention in 1872. There was a unexpected event at the convention, as a breeder named David Magie who was also from Ohio, claimed to be the creator of the breed.
Expanding Their Influence
Once this convention concluded, the popularity of the breed became widespread. By the end of the 1800’s, they had become one the most populous breeds in the country.
Throughout the 1900’s, the demand for lard continually decreased, so the population fell as result. There were only 18,000 registered in 1990, then it dipped even further with 2018 only seeing 12,300 registered.
Argentina happened to be a huge fan and made them one of their main exporters. One of their most ambitious years was 1944, when 1.3 million were butchered. This was a one third of the entire population at the time.
The one country where they did not find immediate success was ironically, China. When they were exported to the county in the 20’s & 30’s, it was found they could not adapt to the climate. Since animal fat was not as popular in the area at the time, they were not raised for consumption and instead for their manure to be used as fertilizer.
Characteristics of the Poland China
While the majority of their bodies are covered in a black color, they can have six white spots around their feet, tail, and face. Their heads are large jowled, short legs, and have ears that droop forward towards the snout.
The breed is wildly popular with farmers due to their early maturation and large frames from being excellent feeders. This fast growth does have one negative, it leads to a shorter average lifespan of 6-10 years. This is less of a factor though as they are typically butchered before then.
| Boar | Sow | |
| Weight | 550lbs – 800lbs / 250kg – 363kg | 500lbs – 650lbs/ 226kg – 295kg |
Sows generally produce larger litter sizes of a dozen piglets or more. Taking this into account with their higher fertility rate & gentle personalities, their popularity with breeders is easy to understand.
Raising the Poland China Breed
Even with their popularity in the meat industry, the breed does pose a few challenges when being raised for consumption. Since they can grow quickly and eat constantly, the breed has been known to become obese and develop health issues.
Once these health issues arise, the hog can develop either Porcine Stress Syndrome (PSS) or Malignant Hyperthermia Syndrome (MHS). The symptoms of these diseases are a high rise in body temperature, digestion problems, and muscle rigidity.
To avoid these health risks, you’ll need a large penned in area with a dry housing unit . The more run the merrier, there should be 50 square feet for each pig that will be living in the pen. Compared to most other breeds, they don’t need mud pits in the summer. They do require more water than the average hog due to their large size.
Other Facts
- A monument in honor of the first Poland China bred in Ohio still stands to this day in the town of Middleton
- The heaviest pig on record is a Poland China named Big Bill, who in Tennessee in 1933 was found to weigh 1158 kg (2552 lbs), with a length of about 2.75 m (9 ft)