The
various strains of Landrace swine are the descendants of the famous Danish
Landrace hogs that were developed in Denmark. The development of the breed
began in about 1895. It resulted from crossing the Large
White hog from England with the native swine. It was largely though the
use of the Landrace that Denmark became the great bacon-exporting country, with
England as the chief market. The U.S. Department of Agriculture received a shipment of the Danish landrace in 1934 from their native country. Many of those hogs were used in cross breeding by the Department and by Agricultural Experimental stations to which they were made available, and became ancestors of a number of new breeds. The foundation stock of the American Landrace were those hogs that were bred pure or carried a small infusion (one-sixteenth to one-sixty-fourth) of Poland China blood. The Department of Agriculture followed its policy of selling desirable seed stock to private individuals. Thirty eight head of boars and gilts were imported from Norway that carried Norweigan, Danish and Swedish Landrace blood. Their blood is being blended into the American Landrace and gives a broader genetic base to the breed.
The American Landrace is a white hog of long body length, having sixteen or seventeen pairs of ribs. The arch of back is much less pronounced than on most other breeds of swine. For some hogs the back is almost flat. The head is long and rather narrow and the jowl is clean. The ears are large and heavy and are carried close to the face. There is an admirable meatiness about them on foot and particularly on the rail. The rumps are long and comparatively level and the hams are plump but trim. The sides are long, of uniform depth, and well let down in the flank. The sows are prolific and satisfactory mothers. The sow have always been noted for their milk producing abilities. Studies have shown that they reach their top milk production after five weeks of lactation which is later than other breeds compared.
The hair color of the American Landrace must be white. Dark skin spots are considered undesirable. A few freckles on the skin are allowed but black hairs are not. Black Spotted pigs are not eligible for registration.
American Landrace Breed Associations and Registries
Reference:
Briggs, Hilton M. 1969. Modern Breeds of Livestock. Third Edition, MacMillan Company
Photograph:
National Swine Registry, West Lafayette, IN
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