Wuzhishan Pig

Wuzhishan Pig

　　Wuzhishan Pig

　　Breed Description

　　Origin and Distribution: The Wuzhishan Pig, also known as the “rat pig,” originates from the mountainous regions of Hainan Island. These pigs are mostly found in remote, hard-to-reach mountain villages on Hainan Island. Only a small number of breeding pigs exist in Nankai Commune of Baisha County, and Gong’ai, Tian’an, and Dongfang Communes of Dongfang County.

　　Living Environment: The mountainous regions of Hainan are situated in the central-southern part of the island and feature a tropical mountain climate. The annual average temperature reaches 25°C, with annual precipitation between 1,500–2,000 mm. In the past, transportation in these mountainous areas was extremely limited, and agricultural production was underdeveloped. The main crops grown were corn, early rice, and sweet potatoes, with rice only cultivated in a few flatland areas. Due to low grain yields, there was not enough feed for the pigs, so they were primarily raised through free-range grazing—released from their pens in the morning to roam and forage in the wild, and then supplemented with cooked sweet potatoes, leftover rice, or other concentrates before returning to their pens in the evening. In better conditions, pigs were fed twice a day. During busy farming seasons, they were often left without any feed. Under these specific environmental and extensive management conditions, the mountain pigs grew slowly, had a wild temperament, and were good runners.

　　Physical Characteristics: The Wuzhishan Pig is small in size with a fine and compact build. It has a small, elongated head, small upright ears, and a pointed snout that is slightly curved. Its chest is relatively narrow, back straight, belly not sagging, and hindquarters underdeveloped. Its limbs are slender and long. Most of its body is covered in black fur, while the belly and the insides of the limbs are white. The bristles are black or brown and can be up to 2–10 cm in length.

　　Breed Performance: Adult female Wuzhishan Pigs measure 50–70 cm in body length, 35–45 cm in height, 65–80 cm in chest circumference, and weigh 30–35 kg, rarely exceeding 40 kg. They reach sexual maturity early; female piglets show signs of estrus one month after weaning and are first bred at 3–4 months of age. First-time mothers typically give birth to 4 piglets, while experienced sows give birth to 6–8. Male piglets show sexual behavior at 1–1.5 months of age. Locally, male pigs are not kept, and those that reach sexual maturity and mate are usually slaughtered.

　　Comprehensive Evaluation: The Wuzhishan Pig is a unique small-sized pig breed in China. In the past, it was considered for elimination due to its small size, slow weight gain, and long breeding cycle. However, it has advantages such as strong adaptability, high lean meat ratio, and good meat quality.