Dawazhi Pigs

Dawazhi Pigs

　　Dawazhi Pigs are a renowned local breed from Changsha City. They were once widely celebrated across the province and neighboring regions for their excellent production performance, high fertility, and superior meat and fat quality.

　　 Physical Characteristics: The lower sections of the legs of Dawazhi Pigs are white, commonly referred to as "four feet stepping on snow" or "snowflake hooves." They have a medium build, with fine limbs, a sturdy physique, well-proportioned structure, gentle temperament, and quick reactions. Their coat is thin and loose, sparse and coarse, yet glossy. The head is refined, with a broad forehead and straight nose, a long snout, even upper and lower lips, and large, bright eyes. The ears are firm at the base, thin at the tips, semi-drooping in a V-shape. The neck is of moderate length, the back is wide and slightly concave, the chest is broad and deep, the belly is large but does not touch the ground, with an average of over 14 teats. The hips are broad and slightly sloped, the thighs are full, the tail is thick but not overly long, and the limb posture is upright.

　　 Growth and Development: Dawazhi Pigs are characterized by early maturity and rapid growth. Male pigs at 4 months of age have an average weight of 29.30 kg, and at 6 months, 48.10 kg—about 50% of the adult male weight. At 12 months, they average 60.08 kg in weight, with a body length of 109.5 cm, chest circumference of 97 cm, and height of 59.50 cm. Adult males average 95.54 kg in weight, with a body length of 127 cm, chest circumference of 110 cm, and height of 61.5 cm. Female pigs at 4 months average 29.2 kg, at 6 months 50.85 kg, and at 8 months 80.85 kg, with a body length of 116.60 cm, chest circumference of 106.70 cm, and height of 63.3 cm.

　　 Reproductive Performance: Dawazhi Pigs mature sexually early. Male pigs can breed at around 90 days of age (some as early as 70 days), while female pigs experience their first estrus at about 120 days after birth. Breeders in the region typically begin breeding males at around 120–150 days of age, when they weigh 30–45 kg, and females at around 150 days of age, weighing 35–40 kg, usually during their third estrus. The productive lifespan of males is generally 3–4 years, while that of females is longer, about 8–10 years.

　　 Dawazhi Pigs have a high fertility rate. First-time mothers average 9.33 piglets per litter, while experienced sows average 12.85 piglets. The peak litter sizes occur between the 4th and 7th farrowings.

　　 Fattening Performance: Dawazhi Pigs exhibit good fattening capabilities, characterized by gaining fat while growing. Fattened pigs at 6–7 months of age typically weigh around 60–70 kg, with some reaching up to 90 kg. Hence the local saying, “a litter yields over a hundred.” Under general rural rearing conditions, their average daily weight gain is about 0.25–0.5 kg, requiring roughly 1 kg of rice and 5 kg of green fodder for each kilogram of weight gained. Locally, pigs are commonly slaughtered at 6–7 months of age. Based on slaughter tests of pigs weaned at two months and fattened for 145 days, the average dressing percentage is 64.65%, with lean meat content in the carcass at 40%. However, the meat shows favorable metrics in terms of muscle acidity, fiber structure, loin eye marbling, and essential amino acid content—many of which surpass those of imported breeds.

　　 Crossbreeding Applications: As the primary maternal breed, Dawazhi Pigs are crossed with introduced breeds such as Yorkshire, Landrace, and Duroc pigs. Particularly in two-way crosses, they effectively leverage their advantages in hardiness, adaptability, strong fertility, and high-quality meat, while also incorporating the benefits of foreign breeds—such as high lean meat ratio, fast growth, and efficient feed conversion—which are widely favored by both producers and consumers. According to relevant trials, recommended cross combinations such as 大×(长×围), 长×(大×围), 杜×(大×围), and 杜×(长×围)—generally combine the strengths of the involved breeds, achieving an average daily gain of around 700 g, a feed-to-gain ratio of 3.2:1, and a lean meat percentage of over 55%.