Guanling Pig

Guanling Pig

　　The Guanling Pig is primarily produced in the central and southern regions of Guizhou Province, with its core production area located in the Guanling Buyi and Miao Autonomous County. The breed is also widely distributed across Anshun Prefecture, Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, Qiannan Buyi and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, and Guiyang City in Guizhou Province. It is one of the more extensively found local pig breeds in the mountainous areas of central and southern Guizhou. Townships such as Zongdi in Ziyun County, Baijin in Huishui County, Yazhou in Pingtang County, Shihua in Majiang County, Niuchang in Zhenfeng County, Wuhua in Zhijin County, Yanjiao in Liuzhi County, Gaopo in Huaxi District of Guiyang City, and Pingzhai in Kaiyang County all have populations of this breed. Depending on the production area, it is divided into ten strains — Guanling Pig, Zongdi Pig, Baijin Pig, Yazhou Pig, Shihua Pig, Niuchang Pig, Wuhua Pig, Yanjiao Pig, Gaopo Pig, and Pingzhai Pig — all of which are synonymous and collectively referred to as the Guanling Pig.

　　History of the Guanling Pig Breed

　　The Guanling Pig has a long history of breeding. The working people of the Bouyei, Miao, Han, Shui, Yao, and Gelao ethnic groups in the production area have traditionally raised pigs for generations. Historically, due to the region's isolated transportation and economic hardship, local residents primarily engaged in pig farming as a supplementary livelihood, especially through the breeding and selling of piglets. A large number of pigs and breeds were exchanged through the region’s eight major livestock trading markets. Because the distribution areas are contiguous, the genetic relationships are close, and ecological conditions along with management practices are similar, a Guanling Pig population with relatively consistent body conformation and performance traits was formed.

　　Breed Characteristics of the Guanling Pig

　　The Guanling Pig is of medium size, with a head of moderate proportions. Its forehead features either an “eight-character” or diamond-shaped wrinkle pattern, and there is a swirl of hair at the center of the forehead. The ears are relatively small and droop downward. The snout is of moderate length, the neck is short, and the body is deep and broad with a well-developed chest. The back and loin are slightly concave, the belly is large and drooping, the hindquarters are fairly full and slightly sloped, the limbs are straight, and the hooves are sturdy. The skin is heavily wrinkled, and the bristles are thick and dense, measuring 12–15 centimeters in length. The coat is predominantly black, with white markings on the forehead, belly, lower parts of the limbs, and the tip of the tail. Some individuals display a black-and-white spotted coat, are entirely black, or show rare reddish-brown coloration. There are generally 5–6 pairs of teats.

　　Performance Traits of the Guanling Pig Breed

　　Adult male Guanling Pigs at 18 months of age weigh around 95.9 kilograms, with a body length of 124.8 centimeters, chest circumference of 107.9 centimeters, and body height of 63.3 centimeters. Adult females have corresponding measurements of 75.7 kilograms, 115.3 centimeters, 99.9 centimeters, and 56.4 centimeters. First-litter sows average 7.8 piglets per birth, while experienced sows average 10.4 piglets, with birth weights of 0.63 and 0.77 kilograms respectively. The Guanling Pig is a local breed that has been selectively bred over a long period by the various ethnic laboring people in the region. It is widely distributed and bred in large numbers, making up a significant proportion of pig production in Guizhou Province. It performs well under poor conditions, shows strong maternal advantages, and produces tender and flavorful meat. However, it grows relatively slowly, has a lower litter size, thicker skin, fewer teats, and due to individual variation, still holds substantial potential for further selective breeding.

　　Male pigs reach breeding capability by 7 months of age, while females can be first bred between 5–6 months, with litter sizes reaching around 10 piglets. Guanling Pork is of high quality, the breed is highly tolerant to coarse feed, and it exhibits strong adaptability. As for how to raise Guanling Pigs to achieve better economic returns...