The Dorset Gold Tip was a breed of pig

Pig

A pig is any of the animals in the genus Sus, within the Suidae family of even-toed ungulates. Pigs include the domestic pig, its ancestor the wild boar, and several other wild relatives...

 originating in the United Kingdom

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

. It is now considered extinct.

Characteristics

The Dorset Gold Tip originated with a Tamworth

Tamworth Pig

The Tamworth is a breed of domestic pig originating in the United Kingdom, with input from Irish pigs. It is among the oldest of pig breeds but as with many older breeds of livestock it is not well suited to modern production methods and is listed as "Threatened" in the United States and...

 cross, likely with the Berkshire

Berkshire (pig)

Berkshire pigs are a rare breed of pig originating from Berkshire in England.Herds of the breed are still maintained in England by the Rare Breeds Survival Trust at Aldenham Country Park, Hertfordshire, and by the South of England Rare Breeds Centre in Kent. The Berkshire is listed as 'vulnerable',...

 and possibly with some additional Gloucester Old Spot

Gloucester Old Spot

The Gloucestershire Old Spots is an English breed of pig which is predominantly white with black spots. It is named after the county of Gloucestershire. The Gloucestershire Old Spots pig is known for its docility, intelligence, and profligacy...

 ancestry. The breed had slightly folded (lop) ears, and a coat with a reddish base colour, like the Tamworth, and black spots: the hairs had gold tips, giving the breed its name.

The Gold Tip was bred for quick growth, early maturing, and extreme size at a time when fat bacon

Bacon

Bacon is a cured meat prepared from a pig. It is first cured using large quantities of salt, either in a brine or in a dry packing; the result is fresh bacon . Fresh bacon may then be further dried for weeks or months in cold air, boiled, or smoked. Fresh and dried bacon must be cooked before eating...

was more desirable than it is today; some specimens were so large they were unable to move out of their pens.

History

The Gold Tip was originally developed during the nineteenth century. It was always a relatively rare breed, with few licensed boars appearing on records, although it was regularly exhibited during the 1920s and 1930s. By 1955, only one boar was still registered, although the Dorset Gold Tip Pig Society was still in existence in 1961. The breed may have become extinct in the 1960s or 1970s.