Minzhu pigs, or
Ming, Min, or Da Min, pigs come from far northern China. Minzhu means folk pig.
They can be found
in the Middle Temperate Belt, to the north of the Huaihe River Basin and the
Qinling Mountains. The cold and dry climate of this region makes the Minzhu
very tolerant to cold temperatures and harsh feeding conditions. They are also
known as the Ming, Min, or Da Min. Minzhu is said to mean folk pig.
Minzhu pigs are
small pigs with very long black hair. This hair has coarse, long bristles and a
dense woolen undercoat in the winter. This hair allows sows to farrow in an
open shed at 4 degrees C with issues.
Minzhu pigs are a prolific breed,
though not as prolific as the other breeds imported. They were introduced into
the United States under a cooperative effort of the USDA, the University of
Illinois, and Iowa State University. This effort also imported Fengjing and
Meishan pigs from China on July 27, 1989.
About Minzhu Pigs
