Black Pigs of Sishui

Black Pigs of Sishui

The Black Pigs of Sishui are a geographical indication certification trademark.

　　The Black Pigs of Sishui are a representative and well-preserved breed among North China-type pigs in Shandong Province, known for their purity and complete breed characteristics. They are of medium build, sturdy constitution, entirely black in coat, with dense, long bristles and a soft undercoat. Their ears are soft-rooted, large, and droop to the corners of the mouth. The snout is long and straight, the forehead relatively narrow with 6–8 inverted “eight” shaped vertical stripes. They have a single back ridge, a relatively flat and straight back and loin, a large and drooping belly, less fullness in the hindquarters, a sloping rump, flat hooves and splayed legs, a thick and long tail, with 7–8 evenly spaced functional teats, and well-developed udders.

　　The most outstanding advantage of the Black Pigs of Sishui is the superior quality of their meat. Tests show that their muscle fat content reaches 10.14%. This high fat content in the muscle gives the meat a distinct marbling effect, resulting in tender and smooth texture when cooked. In contrast, foreign pig breeds generally have a muscle fat content of below 5%. Another advantage is their strong adaptability and resilience, making them easy to raise and generally resistant to illness.

　　The disadvantages of the Black Pigs of Sishui include slightly poorer fattening ability and carcass performance. They grow slowly, reach maturity later, and have low feed efficiency. They also have thick skin, thick fat layers, smaller loin-eye areas and proportions of hind leg meat, resulting in lower lean meat percentage.

　　The Sishui Lüye Breeding Professional Cooperative raises Black Pigs of Sishui using purely ecological methods, primarily through free-range mountain grazing. Their main diet consists of wild grasses supplemented with mountain spring water and crops such as corn, soybean meal, and sweet potatoes. With a growth period of over one year, the pork produced is of premium quality, rich in nutrition, pure in flavor, delicious, green, natural, and free from pollution—making it an essential, original eco-friendly healthy food on the dining table. The Black Pigs of Sishui have been hailed by experts as the “Number One Pig of North China,” and a folk rhyme goes: “The endless waters of the Sishui River, the countless Black Pigs of Sishui.”