Saddleback Pigs

Formed in 1967 by the amalgamation of the Essex and Wessex Saddleback breeds, the animal exhibits all the best traits of those two similar looking but distinctive breeds. The breed was traditionally used for crossing with a white boar for outdoor production. Pedigree numbers have declined in the last twenty years.

Its docility and mothering instincts, combined with its hardiness and ability to forage make it the ideal answer to today's increased demands for an extensive approach to livestock keeping. When crossed with a white pig, the 'blue' progeny are equally able to adapt to an outdoor system. It is a large lop-eared pig with a white band across the saddle and around the legs and shoulders and may have white hind feet and tail tip.

On dry-cured British Saddleback bacon from a taste test where the top three out of 17 tested were all from named traditional breeds – “Fantastic - how bacon should taste. Slightly greasy but this made it a mouth-watering rasher. Very little shrinkage and no water leaked. Full flavoured rather than salty and nicely chunky.” BBC Good Food Magazine