Fengjing pigs are
from the town of Fengjing in Shanghai, China. They are mainly found in the
districts of Jinshan,Songjiang, and Wujiang. They are classified as a type of
Taihu pig which all occur in the narrow region of mild sub-tropical climate
around the Taihu Lake region.
Fengjing pigs are
large black pigs with large floppy ears. They are distinguished by their very wrinkly
faces and bodies. They are excellent breeders, producing two litters per year
of an average 12 piglets at first parity rising to 17 piglets at third parity
with 12 surviving to be weaned. Litter sizes of up to 20 occur regularly. The
pig grows relatively slowly and has a good, succulent, taste.
The peak of
Fengjing production occurred around the late Qing Dynasty with annual
production of 200,000 pigs from the town of Fengjing.
More recently,
interest has grown in Western countries for the possibility of using this pig
in the female line of a breeding program with the hope that they can improve
the taste, disease resistance, and litter size while retaining the fast growth
of Western breeds, possibly using genetic engineering techniques. Fengjing pigs
were brought into the US in 1989 under a United States Department of
Agriculture scheme with the University of Illinois and Iowa State University.
About Fengjing Pigs
