Category:Swabian-Hall Hog

The Swabian-Hall Hog, also known as Swabian Hall Swine and Schwäbisch-Hällisches Schwein, originated in the region around Schwäbisch Hall (in Baden-Württemberg), southern Germany. In 1820-1821 King Wilhelm I from Württemberg imported Chinesische Maskenschweine / Meishan to improve the existing landrace. He founded the Agricultural University of Hohenheim, the zoological and botanical garden "Wilhelma" and the stud Marbach/Weil with the world known Arabs. He was the breeder of several breeds of cattle, swine, and other livestock. He experimented, among other things, with Yaks, Zebu, Somali sheep and Cashmere goat. In 1844, the Schwäbisch-Hällische Schwein was called the best swine of all and was very successful in the German-speaking countries. In 1959 in Baden-Württemberg, 90% of all swine were of this breed. But already, by 1969, there were only a few left. They were, like the other traditional breeds, too fat. In 1984, Rudolf Bühler gathered the last 7 original sows and the last boar and began a successful project. He founded the ”Bäuerliche Erzeugergemeinschaft Schwäbisch-Hällisches Schwein” with high quality standards, ecological food production in the region, high animal welfare standards, for example breeding animals shall be at pasture in summer time and only be fed with green fodder and milk. The meat in high demand by gourmet restaurants and won prices for the best quality in Germany. The name "Schwäbisch-Hällisches Qualitätsschweinfleisch (meat)" is protected in the EU (like ”Parma-Ham” or ”Schwarzwälder Schinken”), it has to come from the region Schwäbisch Hall. Nowadays about 250 breeders with around 1500 registered sows and 15 boars preserve this traditional pig in the region it comes from.

Characteristics
This breed is large, and white with black head and backpart. The end of the tail and the snout are white. Between the black and the white is a grey zone because of pigmented skin and unpigmented hair. Boars are typically 90 cm tall, weighing 350 kg, while sows are 80 cm tall, weighing 280 kg.

The Schwäbisch Hällische Schwein is hardy, long-lived, has a high birth rate of 9.2 piglets/litter, and is a good mother with abundant milk.