The Spotted is an American breed of domestic pig. It was bred in Indiana in the early twentieth century, and a breed society was formed in 1914. It shares much of its history with the Poland China of Ohio, and until 1960 was known as the Spotted Poland China.
There were almost of the pigs in 2024. The breed is not considered endangered, and is not included in the Heritage Breeds Watchlist of the Livestock Conservancy.
History
There were about new registrations in the herd-book in 1990; at about the same time it was the fourth-most numerous pig in commercial agriculture, after the three dominant breeds, the Duroc, the Hampshire and the American Yorkshire.
The total population in the United States was reported in 2024 at just under head. The largest population world-wide is in Argentina, where there are almost of the pigs; the breed is also present in Canada, in Japan and in Uruguay.
Characteristics
The Spotted is black and white, ideally in roughly equal proportions; it may be either black with well-defined spots or patches of white, or white spotted or patched with black. In morphology it is closely similar to the Poland China: it is a large pig with drooping ears and a slightly dished facial profile. Body weights are approximately for sows and over for boars.
Use
References