Fengjing Pig

Fengjing Pig

Fengjing Pig is a geographical indication agricultural product.

　　Fengjing Pig is one of the breeds of Taihu Pig, originating from and serving as a distribution hub for piglets in Fengjing Town, Jinshan County (now Jinshan District), located at the border of Shanghai and Zhejiang. The production area lies in a subtropical zone with a mild climate, abundant rainfall, and high crop yields, making it one of China's renowned regions for stable and high agricultural productivity. It is mainly distributed in areas such as Jinshan, Songjiang, and Wujiang. Breed Characteristics: In the Fengjing area, the pigs are entirely black in color with purplish or bluish-gray bellies and typically have eight or nine pairs of teats. Regions such as Xiaozheng and Zhendian within the county have over 100 years of breeding history. In 1985, there were more than 7,000 Fengjing sows in the county, accounting for one-third of the total pig population.

　　Physical Characteristics

　　The skeletal structure of the Fengjing Pig is intermediate between that of the Meishan Pig and the Mi Pig. It has a large head with a wide forehead, many deep wrinkles on the forehead, and exceptionally large ears that are soft and droopy, with ear tips reaching or extending beyond the mouth corners, resembling large palm-leaf fans. The body is covered with sparse, coarse black or bluish-gray hair, with large spaces between hair tufts. The abdominal skin is often purplish-red, and some individuals may have white noses or white tail tips. Teats are symmetrically arranged, usually numbering 16 to 18. There is a small black spot on the base of the teat, known as the "clove nipple."

　　Breed Performance

　　Fengjing Pig is a high-quality breed suitable for both meat and lard, known for its delicious meat. It matures early, has strong maternal instincts, produces many offspring, is tolerant of coarse feed, and adapts well to various environments. Adult sows typically give birth to around 14 piglets per litter. Adult boars weigh about 152.75 ± 10.06 kg, with a body length of 150.57 ± 3.75 cm, chest circumference of 124.0 ± 3.10 cm, and body height of 75.14 ± 2.49 cm. Corresponding figures for adult sows are: 125.76 ± 1.80 kg, 143.58 ± 0.66 cm, 114.18 ± 1.09 cm, and 67.96 ± 0.35 cm. Geographical Indication: In accordance with the “Administrative Measures for Geographical Indications of Agricultural Products,” the Jinshan District Agricultural Society of Shanghai applied for geographical indication protection for the “Fengjing Pig.” After preliminary review, expert evaluation, and public announcement, it met the registration procedures and conditions for geographical indication of agricultural products. The Ministry of Agriculture decided to approve the registration on August 3, 2012.

　　Geographic Scope

　　Jinshan District is located between 121° and 121°25′ east longitude and 30°40′ and 30°58′ north latitude, situated on the southern wing of the Yangtze River Delta in the southwest of Shanghai. It borders Fengxian District to the east, Pinghu City and Jiashan County of Zhejiang Province to the west, Hangzhou Bay to the south, and Songjiang District and Qingpu District to the north. The district spans 43 km from east to west and 25 km from north to south, covering a total area of 586.05 square kilometers. It governs 9 towns, 1 street, and the administratively functional Jinshan Industrial Zone. The protected geographical indication area for Fengjing Pig agricultural products covers four towns within Jinshan District: Fengjing, Zhujing, Lvxiang, and Zhangyan, encompassing 53 administrative villages. The geographical coordinates are: latitude 30°57′11.5296″ to 30°46′03.7755″, longitude 120°59′00.1489″ to 121°19′30.1886″, stretching 20.57 km from north to south and 32.62 km from east to west, with a protected area of 263.66 square kilometers.

　　Product Quality and Characteristic Features

　　1. External Sensory Characteristics: Entirely black, sparse hair, black or purplish-red skin. Large drooping ears with thick bases not close to the face, slightly concave snout, wrinkled forehead, and rarely a “jade” nose. Medium-sized, robust and sturdy build; adult boars weigh over 150 kg, adult sows over 125 kg. A few have white legs (four white feet), slightly concave backs, well-developed udders with 8–9 teats shaped like cups. 2. Reproductive Performance: Fengjing Pigs mature sexually early, with notable reproductive performance in sows. 3. Growth and Fattening Performance: During the 20–80 kg fattening stage, daily weight gain exceeds 425 g, and live backfat thickness at 80 kg is 4.0 cm. 4. Carcass Quality: When slaughtered at around 75–80 kg, dressing percentage is 65 ± 0.33%, lean meat percentage in the carcass is 46.02 ± 1.04%, backfat thickness between the 6th and 7th ribs is 2.7 ± 0.52 cm, skin thickness is 0.50 cm, muscle pH is 5.53 ± 0.16, meat color score is close to 3. Protein content is 23.77 ± 0.27%, and amino acids such as aspartic acid, glutamic acid, serine, methionine, and threonine are higher than in other breeds. Muscle marbling score is 3. Tenderness (N) is 29.4725 ± 1.1135845, intramuscular fat is 3.28 ± 0.83%, water-holding capacity is 13.4 ± 3.27%, and eye muscle area (last rib) is 18.38 ± 2.31 square centimeters. 5. Crossbreeding Utilization: Fengjing Pig is an ideal maternal breed for crossbreeding, with offspring exhibiting favorable hybrid vigor. Sows using Fengjing Pigs as dams show good reproductive performance; hybrid combinations such as Duroc × Changfeng and Yorkshire × Changfeng average more than 12 piglets per litter. 6. Breeding Stock Evaluation: Breeding stock must meet the following criteria at all stages; failure to meet any disqualifies them from grading. Conformation and appearance must match Fengjing Pig characteristics. Clear pedigree with lineage data for at least three generations. Normal development of reproductive organs in both boars and sows, with at least 8 effective teats symmetrically arranged. Free from genetic disorders. Piglets evaluated as qualified, assessed based on weight, body length, and live backfat thickness. Reserve breeding stock assessed as excellent or better, scored based on the number of piglets from the sow bred to, 24-month weight, and body length. Reserve breeding stock assessed as excellent or better, scored based on the number of piglets, individual weaning weight, and body length. Breeding sows are evaluated 30 days after weaning of the third litter, with litter size and individual weaning weight averaged over the second, third, and fourth litters. 7. Release Conditions for Breeding Stock: Released breeding stock must be of qualified grade or higher. Clear and identifiable ear tags, accompanied by qualified breeding stock certificates with pedigrees. Quarantine procedures must be carried out according to GB 16567-1996. 8. Safety Requirements: Fengjing Pig production strictly follows non-polluting livestock product production standards and norms. NY5029 Non-polluting Food – Pork; NY5027 Non-polluting Food – Drinking Water Quality for Livestock and Poultry; NY5030 Non-polluting Food – Veterinary Drug Use Guidelines for Livestock and Poultry; NY5032 Non-polluting Food – Feed and Feed Additive Use Guidelines for Livestock and Poultry; NY5033 Non-polluting Food – Swine Breeding Management Guidelines; NY/T5339 Non-polluting Food – Veterinary Epidemic Prevention Guidelines for Livestock and Poultry; GB 16548 Procedures for Harmless Treatment of Diseased Livestock Carcasses and Products; GB 16549 Livestock and Poultry Origin Quarantine Standards