Tuhai Black Pig

Tuhai Black Pig

The Tuhai Black Pig is a product with geographical indication.

　　Tuhai Black Pigs are named after their place of origin and coat color. Historically, they were mainly distributed along the Tuohai River basin spanning Shandong Province, with Jiyang County as the central production area, primarily found in Jiyang, Qihe, Linyi, Shanghe, and Huimin. Bred under conditions where coarse forage was the main diet, these pigs were selectively preserved over time and belong to the North China type of black pig. Research by experts has shown that this breed is highly adaptable, has strong reproductive capabilities, is tolerant of coarse feed, resistant to environmental stress, and has high intramuscular fat content, resulting in excellent meat quality. It is a typical and superior representative among China’s native black pigs. In ancient times, the Tuhai Black Pig was called the "Haipig." Legend has it that 4,200 years ago, when Yu the Great was dredging the nine rivers and arrived in the Qi region (now within Jiyang), he saw dense forests and wild boars along the lower reaches of the Lahe River (now the Tuohai River), where laborers were often injured. He then led his people to capture and eat the Haipigs. Inspired by Yu’s actions, local residents began forming groups to "hunt pigs for meat." The meat of the Haipig was extraordinarily delicious and highly nutritious. After eating it, the locals became stronger and healthier, and the Tuohai River basin was no longer a place of fear ("fear not failure" but rather "no more terror"). Over time, the once feared Haipigs were no longer wild. The surplus captured Haipigs were gradually domesticated through long-term captivity, losing their wild nature and becoming domestic pigs. Because their entire body was covered in coal-black fur, people began calling the "Haipig" the "black pig." Later, due to regional distinctions, it became known as the "Tuhai Black Pig." Today, the Tuhai Black Pig has become a geographically significant black pig population. According to research based on pig mandibles unearthed from Yuhuangzhuang in Dianzi Township, Jiyang County, and records from the Jiyang County Annals during the Wanli era of the Qing Dynasty, the Tuhai Black Pig has been the primary livestock raised in households throughout the Tuohai River basin for thousands of years. In the 1950s, with the large-scale introduction of foreign pig breeds, purebred Tuhai Black Pigs became increasingly rare, and by the end of the century, they were nearly extinct. In 2006, Mr. Zhang Xunzhao, General Manager of Shandong Lvyuan New Food Co., Ltd., recognized the huge market potential of the Tuhai Black Pig. Seizing the opportunity, he selected 30 purebred Tuhai Black Pigs along the Tuohai River and began conservation, breeding, and research efforts. After four years of development, this premium pig breed not only made a comeback but also significantly increased in value. The reason lies in the fact that the Tuhai Black Pig is a high-quality breed, with high levels of protein, amino acids, and intramuscular fat, and low cholesterol. Its "three highs and one low" nutritional advantages are particularly suitable for the dietary needs of children, pregnant women, the elderly, and modern urban dwellers. As a geographically significant black pig breed, the Tuhai Black Pig received national protection in 2009. The Tuhai Black Pig boasts high fertility, strong environmental adaptability, tolerance for coarse feed, and has inherited the wild bloodline of its ancestors, giving it strong disease resistance, which greatly facilitates and ensures the breeding process. At the same time, the Tuhai Black Pig grows relatively slowly, with a growth cycle three to four times longer than that of ordinary commercial pigs, laying a solid foundation for its top-tier meat quality. Its protein, amino acid, and trace element content are all much higher than that of ordinary pork on the market, while its cholesterol content is only one-sixth of regular pork. The meat of the Tuhai Black Pig is bright red, with clear and evenly distributed marbling, approximately 7.56% intramuscular fat, fine muscle fibers, high water retention, neutral pH (6.26), tender and juicy texture, and a richly flavorful taste—far superior to other pork available on the market. The breeding of Tuhai Black Pigs utilizes micro-ecological fermentation bed technology, providing a comfortable organic environment for the pigs’ growth. Combined with natural free-range methods, this ensures the pigs get daily exercise while living in a green, pollution-free environment. Currently, commercial pig feed on the market often contains additives such as hormones, lean meat powder, antibiotics, and melamine, disrupting the pigs’ normal growth patterns and increasing the harm of drug residues in pork to human health. Our company starts from the source of breeding, establishing an organic feed production base and owning an independently developed and patented feed processing and blending enterprise. The feed is made from high-quality pure grain products such as corn, soybean meal, bran, and rice husk, with absolutely no banned drugs added. Additionally, traditional Chinese herbal medicines are added to the feed for disease prevention and treatment, using herbal prescriptions to cure pig illnesses. This ensures that the produced pork not only has no antibiotic or drug residues but also contains beneficial components for human health. Consuming this pork can enhance immunity and reduce the incidence of many major diseases. These measures fundamentally achieve truly green feeding. The slaughtering process adopts internationally leading "humane slaughter" procedures, reducing the pigs’ suffering and minimizing the release of toxins caused by fear before slaughter, thereby ensuring that the produced meat is genuinely "healthy meat." In the 21st century, with the development of the national economy and the improvement of living standards for urban and rural residents, people's standards for meat consumption have fundamentally changed. There is an increasing demand for safe, green, high-end meat products. Pollution-free breeding management methods have made the already superior local black pork even more popular with consumers, and prices have continued to rise. In 2008, the National Healthy Breeding Annual Conference was held in Hefei. Mr. Zhang Xunzhao, General Manager of Shandong Lvyuan New Food Co., Ltd., as the only representative of healthy breeding in the country, delivered a special report at the conference. After evaluation and defense by over thirty experts, Shandong Lvyuan New Food Co., Ltd. was rated as a "China Healthy Breeding System Model Enterprise" by the Healthy Breeding Branch of the China Agricultural Industry Economic Development Association, its breeding base was named a "National-level Healthy Breeding Demonstration Base," the Tuhai Black Pig won the "Golden Pig Award," and the Tuhai Black Pork produced by the company was named "Healthy Pork." The conference issued a national initiative titled "Vigorously Promote the Breeding of Tuhai Black Pigs." Mr. Hao Shengqi, former Deputy Director of the General Office of the Central Committee, tasted the Tuhai Black Pork on-site and happily inscribed, "Tuhai Black Pig, Simple Path to Health." Reporters from Shandong Television accompanied him to Beijing and produced a TV feature titled "Tuhai Black Pig Makes Its Way to the Capital," which aired on the provincial channel. In March 2009, the Tuhai Black Pig obtained organic food certification from the National Ministry of Agriculture, and in June, it received certification as a Shandong local pig breed. In October 2009, the Tuhai Black Pig became the exclusive pork supplier for the 11th National Games. On October 29, the day after the Games ended, Zhang Xunzhao held a press conference in Jinan, triggering concentrated media coverage and making more consumers aware of the Tuhai Black Pork priced at one hundred yuan per kilogram. In December 2009, CCTV-7’s "Wealth Creation" program featured a special report on the Tuhai Black Pig. More and more people learned about and accepted the Tuhai Black Pig and healthy pork through the program, and the potential market prospects for the Tuhai Black Pig are significant.

　　Geographic Scope

　　The central production area of the Tuhai Black Pig is located in Xinxishi Town and Duoshibao Town, two natural towns within Jiyang County, Shandong Province, covering 203 administrative villages. The geographical coordinates are 116°52′00″ to 117°27′00″ east longitude and 36°46′00″ to 37°14′00″ north latitude.