Hanzhong White Pig

Hanzhong White Pig

The Hanzhong White Pig is a product with geographical indication.

　　Hanzhong White Pigs are native to the Hanzhong region of Shaanxi Province. The Hanzhong Basin is located in the northern subtropical zone, characterized by a warm climate, abundant rainfall, fertile soil, and well-developed agriculture. Major crops include rice, wheat, corn, sweet potatoes, and rapeseed, with a rich supply of agricultural by-products. Green fodder is grown year-round, ensuring a continuous supply of fresh feed, which provides an ideal nutritional environment for the development of the Hanzhong White Pig.

　　[Geographical Distribution]

　　The Hanzhong White Pig, often referred to as the Hanbai Pig, is mainly distributed across Hanzhong City, Hanzhong County, Mian County, Nanzheng, Chenggu, Yang County, Xixiang, Ningqiang, Zhenba, and Liuba counties and cities.

　　[Breed Characteristics]

　　Hanzhong White Pigs have a sturdy physique and well-proportioned structure. Their heads are of moderate length, with slightly concave faces. Their ears are of medium size and are upright and outwardly extended. Their backs and waists are straight, and their hindquarters have moderate fullness. Their limbs are strong, and their coat is entirely white. They have more than 12 effective teats. They are a dual-purpose breed for both lard and meat.

　　[Breed Performance]

　　Adult Hanzhong White boars weigh 213.29 ± 2.88 kg, with a body length of 155.41 ± 8.9 cm and a chest circumference of 146.20 ± 6.9 cm. Corresponding figures for adult sows are: 166.82 ± 28.4 kg, 144.48 ± 8.5 cm, and 73.00 ± 6.6 cm. Through long-term breeding, the Hanzhong White Pig has developed characteristics such as strong adaptability, fast growth, and good carcass quality. However, their hindquarters are not sufficiently full, their lean meat ratio is not very high, and their leg bones are relatively weak.

　　Regional Scope

　　The production area of the Hanzhong White Pig includes 11 counties and districts in Hanzhong City, Shaanxi Province, covering 234 towns and townships. Its longitude ranges from 105°30′ to 108°24′ east, and its latitude spans 32°15′ to 33°56′ north. The average altitude is around 2000 meters in mountainous areas and 500 meters in the basin. Located at the geographic center of China, it connects to the Central Shaanxi Plain to the north, reaches Sichuan and Chongqing to the south, extends to Gansu and Longnan to the west, and links to Jingzhou and Xiangyang to the east, earning the reputation of the “Little Jiangnan of the Northwest.” The total production scale is 3.0116 million pigs.

　　Natural Ecological Environment and Humanistic Historical Factors

　　(1) Soil and Topography: Hanzhong is located in the southwestern part of Shaanxi Province, surrounded by mountains. The terrain is higher in the north and south and lower in the middle. The north consists of the Qinling Mountains, the south of the Daba Mountains, and the middle is the valley plain of the upper Han River. The Han River basin contains over ten basins and plains of varying sizes. Mountains above 3000 meters in elevation account for 1.81% of the city’s total area, mid-level mountains between 3000–1200 meters make up 56.01%, low mountains and hills cover 35.84%, and plains account for 6.34%. The soil types include chernozem, alluvial soil, paddy soil, yellow-brown soil, brown soil, and dark brown soil, with a pH value of 6.5—neutral to slightly acidic—making the soil fertile and conducive to well-developed agriculture and animal husbandry.

　　(2) Hydrology: Known as the “Little Jiangnan,” Hanzhong is characterized by crisscrossing rivers and abundant water resources. The city has two major river systems—the Han River and the Jialing River—with a combined drainage area of 27,071 square kilometers. The average annual surface water resource is 14.4 billion cubic meters, and groundwater resources amount to 3.175 billion cubic meters, both of which are of high quality.

　　(3) Climate: Hanzhong is situated between the Qinling and Daba Mountains, at the intersection of China’s northern and southern climate zones. It falls within the Qinba climate region of the northern subtropical humid monsoon climate zone. The local climate is mild, with extreme maximum temperatures of 35°C and extreme minimum temperatures of -5°C. The average annual temperature is 14.3°C, average humidity is 77%, and the frost-free period lasts about 260 days. The average annual sunshine duration is 1700–1800 hours, and the average annual precipitation is 800–900 mm, ensuring abundant rainfall and lush vegetation. The average wind speed is 1–2 m/s. There is little climatic variation, with no severe cold in winter or intense heat in summer, and the climate remains moist throughout the year.

　　The average annual sunshine duration is 1,700–1,800 hours; the average annual precipitation is 800–900 mm, with abundant rainfall and lush vegetation; the average wind speed is 1–2 m/s. There is little climatic variation, with no severe cold in winter or extreme heat in summer, and the climate is humid.

　　(4) Humanistic and Historical Factors: The city has a forest coverage rate of 51.2% and a vegetation coverage rate of 56%. It has 250,700 hectares of arable land, accounting for 9.2% of the total area, including 110,000 hectares of paddy fields and 147,000 hectares of dry land, with paddy and irrigated fields making up 45.1% of the total arable land. There are also 6,667 hectares of improved pasture and 1,333 hectares of artificial grassland. The Hanzhong Basin is rich in rice, corn, rapeseed, and tubers, with perennial planting areas exceeding 300,000 hectares. Green fodder covers 1,600 hectares, and the region boasts abundant agricultural by-products and forage resources. It is an important pig production base in Shaanxi Province, accounting for 19.6% of the province’s annual pig output. The abundant feed resources laid a solid material foundation for the formation of the Hanzhong White Pig. The local tradition of making cured meat has also encouraged selective breeding, resulting in the development of this premium local breed—characterized by thin skin, tender meat, excellent flavor, and a moderate lean meat ratio.

　　Production Technical Requirements

　　(1) Site Selection and Special Provisions: Breeding bases must be located in ecologically sound areas that are free from, or not directly affected by, industrial “three wastes” (waste gas, waste water, and solid waste), as well as agricultural, urban domestic, and medical waste pollution. In accordance with relevant national standards, sites should avoid water source protection zones, scenic areas, densely populated regions, and other environmentally sensitive areas. They must meet environmental protection and veterinary epidemic prevention requirements, with rational site layout and strict separation between production and living areas. Areas prone to endemic diseases related to water sources should not be used for pig production or product processing. Special storage facilities and sites with anti-seepage, runoff, and dust-proof capabilities, as well as a certain capacity, must be established. Wastewater treatment facilities should be installed, and the treatment of manure, dead pigs, related products, and production wastewater discharges must comply with national regulations. Ecological farming and standardized production methods shall be implemented.

　　They meet the requirements stipulated by the state. Ecological farming practices are implemented, and production follows standardized procedures.

　　(2) Breed Selection and Specific Requirements: Using the Hanzhong White Pig as the dam line and terminal sire breeds such as Duroc, Landrace, and Yorkshire (lean-meat-type improved breeds), a combination of conventional breeding techniques and modern biotechnology is applied. The promotion includes purebred Hanzhong White Sows, first-generation crossbred sows, and third-generation crossbred fattening pigs. Among the first-generation crosses, Landrace × Hanzhong is considered the best, followed by Duroc × Hanzhong and Yorkshire × Hanzhong. For third-generation crosses, Duroc (Landrace × Hanzhong) is the top choice, followed by Duroc (Yorkshire × Hanzhong) and Landrace (Duroc × Hanzhong).

　　(3) Production Process Management, Including Special Provisions for Agricultural Inputs: Breeding stock must be introduced only from licensed breeding farms that hold a “Breeding Livestock and Poultry Production and Operation License” issued by provincial livestock authorities.

　　During transport, vehicles and feeding equipment must be cleaned, scrubbed, and disinfected. Introduced breeding pigs must undergo a 15–30 day isolation observation period and can only be used for breeding or production after being confirmed healthy and disease-free. Pigs should be managed in groups and fed according to gender, age, weight, and physiological production stages. They should be provided with nutritionally balanced compound feed that meets their nutritional needs at each stage to ensure optimal production potential. The feed must not contain any nationally prohibited additives or drugs. Breeding schedules should be determined based on pig breed characteristics, productivity, and farm scale. Fattening pigs should follow a continuous, balanced, and all-in-all-out process. During the nursery phase, focus on optimizing the piglets’ growth during their peak feeding period. Newborn piglets should receive vaccinations, iron supplements, and selenium supplementation. Scientific management practices should be applied to commercial meat pigs, with attention to preventing heat stress and cold exposure.

　　(4) Product Harvesting, Slaughtering, Fishing, and Postnatal Processing Regulations: Commercial meat pigs should be marketed at a live weight of 90 kg, with a carcass lean meat ratio of over 56%. The use of medicated feed additives and veterinary drugs must follow national regulations regarding withdrawal periods. Testing for meat quality-related traits such as the halothane gene in breeding pigs should be promoted, and substandard breeding pigs should be culled promptly. High-quality feed should be selected to prevent yellow fat meat. Attention should be paid to avoiding pale, soft, exudative (PSE) meat by ensuring adequate Vitamin E and selenium in the feed. Pig slaughtering should follow the “Pig Slaughter Operation Procedures” and “Livestock and Poultry Slaughter Hygiene Quarantine Standards,” with hygiene requirements during the slaughtering process adhering to the “Meat Processing Plant Hygiene Standards.”

　　The poultry slaughtering and health quarantine standards are implemented as per regulations, and hygiene requirements during the slaughtering and processing procedures are carried out in accordance with the “Hygiene Standards for Meat Processing Plants.”

　　(5) Production Record Requirements: In accordance with the Ministry of Agriculture’s “Regulations on Livestock and Poultry Identification and Farming Records Management,” pig farms must maintain records including: breed, quantity, breeding records, identification, origin, and entry/exit dates of pigs; details on feed, feed additives, veterinary drugs, including sources, names, target animals, usage times, and amounts; information on quarantine, immunization, monitoring, and disinfection; records of pig illnesses, treatments, deaths, and harmless disposal; and the pig farming code.

　　Typical Quality Characteristics and Product Quality Safety Standards

　　(1) External Sensory Characteristics: The Hanzhong White Pig is of medium size, with a sturdy build and well-proportioned structure. Its coat is entirely white, its head is of moderate size, its ears are of medium size and forward-facing, its body is of medium length, its back and waist are straight, and its legs and shoulders have moderate fullness.

　　(2) Internal quality indicators: lean meat rate of 55%-65%, thin skin with tender meat, excellent flavor, normal meat color, and an appropriate distribution of marbling. pH value of 6.17, water retention capacity of 85%.

　　(3) Safety requirements: The production of Hanzhong White Pigs follows the following specifications and standards.

　　NY5029 - Pollution-free Food Pork;

　　NY5027 - Pollution-free Food Quality Standards for Drinking Water for Livestock and Poultry;

　　NY5030 - Pollution-free Food Guidelines for the Use of Veterinary Drugs in Livestock and Poultry Rearing;

　　NY5032 - Pollution-free Food Guidelines for the Use of Feed and Feed Additives for Livestock and Poultry;

　　GB16548 - Regulations for the Harmless Treatment of Diseased Carcasses and Related Products of Livestock and Poultry.

　　NY5033 - Pollution-free Food Guidelines for the Management of Pig Rearing;

　　NY/T5339 - Pollution-free Food Guidelines for Veterinary Epidemic Prevention in Livestock and Poultry Rearing;

　　Packaging and labeling regulations and related provisions

　　The carcass of Hanzhong White Pigs has a medium to high lean meat rate (55%-65%), graded as Grade 1 (58%-65%) and Grade 2

　　(55%-57%). The packaging must be labeled with the words “Hanzhong White Pig,” a geographical indication for agricultural products. The packaged cuts are available in 25Kg/box and 10Kg/box. Storage, transportation, and sales must comply with regulations using refrigerated equipment.