Buying guide: Middle White
Practical Pigs|Spring 2017

Chris Graham introduces another of our native breeds that’s in desperate need of support, yet which should be nothing but a pleasure to own

Buying guide: Middle White

Middle White’ may seem like an odd name for a pig to many of you but, in fact, it’s actually perfectly logical, given the breed’s origins. The Middle White was first recognised in 1852, albeit for somewhat unusual reasons. Pig breeder and weaver, Joseph Tuley, was exhibiting at the Keighley Agricultural Show in West Yorkshire. On show were several of his famous Large White sows along with a number of other pigs, and it was these ‘others’ which caused the consternation.

The problem was that some of them were neither large enough for the Large White class, nor small enough to be eligible for the Small White class. They fell neatly between the two (you can see where this is going already, can’t you?), and yet the judges felt that these pigs displayed enough quality to avoid disqualification. So a committee was summoned and, after much deliberation, the very unusual decision was made to create a third class for what they termed the ‘Middle Breed’. And so it was that the Middle White was born.

Piggy in the middle! The Small White had been developed for showing, and was created by crossing local pigs with imported Chinese and Siamese stock (from which it inherited the dished face that became a characteristic of the Middle White). Tuley then made a second cross, using a Small White boar on the best females from his Large White herd. The resulting progeny were as heavy as the pure Large White, although in type and lightness of official and head, they much resembled the best that the Small White had to offer.

Denne historien er fra Spring 2017-utgaven av Practical Pigs.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

Denne historien er fra Spring 2017-utgaven av Practical Pigs.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

FLERE HISTORIER FRA PRACTICAL PIGSSe alt
Woodland Wonders
Practical Pigs

Woodland Wonders

Chris Graham meets Vicky Quick, and her second batch of much-loved and greatly-appreciated, native breed pigs

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9 mins  |
Autumn 2017
Dangerous Diamonds!
Practical Pigs

Dangerous Diamonds!

Michaela Giles explains the ins and outs of Erysipelas, the serious threat it poses and how best to deal with it

time-read
7 mins  |
Autumn 2017
Vital Awareness
Practical Pigs

Vital Awareness

Michaela Giles spotlights the latest campaigns aimed at raising awareness among keepers about the threats posed to their pigs by two serious diseases

time-read
4 mins  |
Winter 2017
Cause For Concern
Practical Pigs

Cause For Concern

Michaela Giles explains the dangers posed to our pig population by the threat of African Swine Fever, as this worrying disease creeps ever closer to the UK

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4 mins  |
Winter 2017
Sailing To Success!
Practical Pigs

Sailing To Success!

Former yacht captain Mark Terry, and his partner April, an ex-corporate lawyer, have settled on the stunning island of Guernsey and established a successful charcuterie business. This is their story

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5 mins  |
Spring 2018
Buying guide: Middle White
Practical Pigs

Buying guide: Middle White

Chris Graham introduces another of our native breeds that’s in desperate need of support, yet which should be nothing but a pleasure to own

time-read
10+ mins  |
Spring 2017
Easy Fella!
Practical Pigs

Easy Fella!

Boars can be a touch pushy come the spring or, on very rare occasions, naturally aggressive. Michaela Giles provides some practical guidance on how best to deal with muscly males

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8 mins  |
Spring 2017
What, No Piglets?
Practical Pigs

What, No Piglets?

Michaela Giles investigates the huge topic of infertility in pigs, and provides a practical overview of the problem and its many and varied causes

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7 mins  |
Spring 2017
Buying Guide: Welsh
Practical Pigs

Buying Guide: Welsh

Chris Graham introduces a breed of pig which he argues can offer keepers at all levels just about all they could ever wish for

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7 mins  |
Autumn 2017
Be Ready!
Practical Pigs

Be Ready!

Experienced keeper Michaela Giles advises that it’s never too early to start thinking about winter, and how best to shepherd your pigs safely through it

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10 mins  |
Autumn 2017