Large Black

Large Black sow – photo by Karen Nicoll

Large Black Standard of Excellence

CHARACTER AND BREED TYPE: A combination of the following definitions denoting type, breeding and masculinity in the case of boars and femininity in the case of sows and gilts.

HEAD: Medium length, face dished, jowl light, wide and clean between the ears which must be long, thin and well included over face reaching to tip of nose. Head light in proportion to body.
Bone: Flat, well developed in males, fine in females.
Strong objection: Crooked jaw, undershot jaw.
NECK: Moderate length, free of crest, proportionately and evenly set to give smooth coupling with head and chest.

20
points

CHEST: Moderately wide between front legs with capacity derived from width and length rather than depth.

5
points

SHOULDERS: Level, obliquely laid, medium width, free from coarseness and blending with rest of body.

10
points

BACK: Strong, long, slightly arched and wide from back of ears to rump.
LOIN: Broad, full and strong, blending in with line of sides.
RIBS: Well sprung.
SIDES: Long, even and well let down to flank.
FLANK: Thick, and well let down.
BELLY: Full, but not flabby, with straight underline.

25
points

RUMP: Long and wide.
HAMS: Broad, full and deep to hock.
TAIL: Set high, strong and long but not coarse with a natural curl and with a tassel of fine hair.

15
points

TEATS and TESTICLES: At least 12 evenly spaced teats set well forward with a minimum of 6 a side for each sex. It is desirable that boars have 3 pairs in front of the sheath. Testicles well developed and low set in the crutch. Dummy teats and inverted nipples to be considered a strong objection in both sexes. Any sow that has had one litter or more and still has inverted nipples to be disqualified in the Show ring.

10
points

LEGS: Straight and well set, level with the outside of the body, with flat bone. Badly in-bent knees and crooked legs are strong objections.
PASTERNS: Short and springy.
FEET: Strong, closed and even.
ACTION: Firm and free.

10
points

SKIN, COLOUR and COAT: Black. Skin soft and pliable, free from wrinkles. Hair fine, straight and plentiful.

5
points

DISQUALIFICATION: Less than 6 evenly spaced sound teats on either side. It is recommended to Judges that pigs with obvious deviations from the Standard of Excellence should not be awarded a first prize.

TOTAL POINTS

100
points

The Standard of Excellence shall be used in the light of known requirements of the bacon and pork trade. All efforts to appraise the relative merits of pigs shall be made against a background of the killing out value of the animal at the correct weight and age. The failure of an animal to reach the Standard of Excellence in some of the breed characteristics shall not outweigh its obvious value from a carcass point of view.

Return to Large Black Pigs page.