Shaziling Pig

Shaziling Pig

Shaziling Pig is a geographical indication agricultural product.

　　Shaziling Pigs are native to the Shaziling area of Xiangtan County, Hunan Province, with the central production region including Xiangtan City, Xiangtan County, as well as Hengyang County and Changning County. The producing areas mostly feature sandy loam soil, while southern regions typically have red and yellow soils. The area has a subtropical climate, with an average annual temperature of around 16°C and significant seasonal temperature variations. Crops are grown two to three times a year, predominantly rice, with dryland crops including tubers, barley, wheat, soybeans, peanuts, rapeseed, sorghum, corn, and cotton. The region is rich in produce and is known as a “land of fish and rice.” Grain processing, flour milling, and brewing industries are well developed, with abundant agricultural by-products. There is also a year-round supply of green fodder and wild grass, creating ideal conditions for pig farming.

　　Geographical Distribution

　　Shaziling Pigs are mainly distributed in Xiangtan City and Xiangtan County, as well as Hengyang County and Changning County in Hunan Province. In addition, parts of central, eastern, southern, and western Hunan also have populations.

　　Breed Characteristics

　　Shaziling Pigs have short, wide heads with many diamond-shaped wrinkles on the forehead. Those with deep, coarse wrinkles are called “lion heads,” while those with long, straight heads and fine, shallow wrinkles are referred to as “wanzi heads” or “oil-spout snouts.” Their ears are medium-sized and drooping. The back and loin are slightly concave, and the limbs are relatively sturdy, though pigs raised in confinement often exhibit splayed feet. Their coat color is described as “black at both ends, white in the middle”—the head, neck, buttocks, and tail are black, with a 2–3 cm wide band of black skin bearing white hair at the junction of black and white, known as the “halo band.” The trunk and limbs are white, and there is a small tuft of white hair on the forehead, called the “brush tassel flower” or “white star.” In some pigs, this white hair extends to the nose tip, called the “broken head flower,” and some have white hair at the tail tip. A few pigs have one or two irregular black patches on the trunk, called “waist flowers” or “speckled pigs.” The black areas on the head and tail are relatively small, often connected at the crown via the temples, referred to as “nodding black tail.” They usually have 6–7 pairs of teats.

　　Breed Performance

　　Adult male Shaziling Pigs weigh 106.80 ± 5.54 kg, measure 132.00 ± 4.00 cm in body length, 109.30 ± 2.22 cm in chest girth, and 74.30 ± 0.67 cm in body height. Adult females weigh 117.0 ± 1.52 kg, measure 125.3 ± 0.35 cm in body length, 118.8 ± 0.67 cm in chest girth, and 66.5 ± 0.28 cm in body height. Shaziling Pigs mature early, fatten easily, have fine bones, a relatively high lean meat ratio, and tender meat. However, their hindquarters are not particularly full, and their body structure is somewhat loose.

　　Regional Scope

　　The Shaziling Pig originates from Shaziling in Xiangtan City and has a long history. It is an outstanding local breed in Hunan Province and the leading breed in the province’s pig production. Its geographical coordinates are 111°58′00″ to 113°05′00″ east longitude and 27°20′55″ to 28°05′40″ north latitude, spanning 81 km from north to south and 108 km from east to west, with a total production area of 501,500 hectares. Currently, the central production region includes Yuhu District, Xiangtan County, Xiangxiang City, and Shaoshan City in Xiangtan.

　　Product Quality and Characteristic Features

　　1. External Sensory Characteristics: Shaziling Pigs have a coat color pattern referred to as “nodding black tail,” meaning the head and buttocks are black while the rest of the body is white, with black spots or hidden patterns on the back accounting for 17%. The black patches on the head are divided into two sections centered around the temples and joined at the crown, showing stable heritability. These black patches may or may not extend beyond the ear roots—27.0% do not reach the ear roots, 14.0% extend over 6 cm beyond the ear roots, and 59.0% extend within 6 cm. The black patches on the buttocks form a circular or oval shape around the tail root. Adult pigs have long, coarse bristles; boars’ bristles are 8.0 cm long (up to 8.5 cm), with the length of the bristle-covered area on the back being 41.7 cm and the widest part 12.0 cm. Sows’ bristles are 9.7 cm long (up to 11.0 cm), with the bristle-covered back area 47.0 cm long and the widest part 12.8 cm. Fattened pigs have short, fine bristles, while piglets have sparse, fine hair, tender, rosy, and glossy skin. Adult pigs have thicker skin with a light, pale complexion. 2. Internal Quality Indicators: When slaughtered at 75–100 kg, Shaziling Pork has a bright red color, a lean meat ratio of 45–48%, tender texture, a pH of 6.1–6.2, 22.8% ± 0.52 crude protein, 3.5% ± 0.55 crude fat, 1.0% ± 0.04 crude ash, and contains 16 amino acids—including 9 essential amino acids for humans, accounting for 60.0%. The meat has high nutritional value, with 2.8–3.2% intramuscular fat, clear marbling, high cooked meat yield, strong water-holding capacity, fine muscle fibers, and a tender, flavorful taste. 3. Safety Requirements: Feed ingredients and additives must comply with the "Regulations on the Management of Feeds and Feed Additives." Concentrated feed should be free from mold, deterioration, or off-odors. Veterinary drugs must meet the standards of the "Chinese Pharmacopoeia for Veterinary Drugs" and the "Chinese Veterinary Drug Specifications." Diseased or dead pigs must be handled according to the requirements of GB16548. Manure can be used as agricultural fertilizer after composting and fermentation, and wastewater must be fermented and settled before use as liquid fertilizer. Vaccines for preventing infectious diseases must comply with the Ministry of Agriculture’s "Management Measures for Veterinary Biological Products," and vaccinations must be carried out in accordance with the "Animal Epidemic Prevention Law of the People's Republic of China."