Berkshire are a small black pig
with prick ears, white socks, white tip to tail and flash on their face.
During the 19th Berkshire pigs
became very popular. Berkshire were soon exported to the USA. This trend
continued throughout the century and by the end of the 19th century, herds were
also established in Australia and New Zealand. Up until the first half of the
20th century, the breed grew in popularity. However, as with all colored pig
breeds, the Berkshire suffered a serious decline in popularity following World
War II when the demand for leaner bacon from white-skinned pigs increased.
Since then a number of breeders
have developed their own specialized markets for Berkshire pig meat and
Berkshire breeding stock are also in demand overseas, especially in Japan, where
the breed is very popular and is marketed as Black Pork at a premium price.
Japanese buyers still consider Berkshires from Britain to have the best taste
and flavor.
About Berkshire Pigs
