The Hereford, often called the Hereford Hog, is a breed

Breed

A breed is a group of domestic animals or plants with a homogeneous appearance, behavior, and other characteristics that distinguish it from other animals or plants of the same species. Despite the centrality of the idea of "breeds" to animal husbandry, there is no scientifically accepted...

 of domestic pig

Domestic pig

The domestic pig is a domesticated animal that traces its ancestry to the wild boar, and is considered a subspecies of the wild boar or a distinct species in its own right. It is likely the wild boar was domesticated as early as 13,000 BC in the Tigris River basin...

 named for its color and pattern, which is similar to that of the Hereford breed of cattle

Cattle

Cattle are the most common type of large domesticated ungulates. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae, are the most widespread species of the genus Bos, and are most commonly classified collectively as Bos primigenius...

: red with a white face. Originating in the United States, the Hereford is a rare variety of swine which was created from a synthesis of Duroc

Duroc (pig)

Duroc pig is an older breed of American domestic pig that forms the basis for many mixed-breed commercial hogs. Duroc pigs are red, large-framed, medium length, and muscular, with partially drooping ears, and tend to be one of the most aggressive of all the swine breeds.-Origins:The breed...

, Poland China

Poland China

The Poland China is a breed of domestic pig, first bred in the Miami Valley, Ohio, United States, in 1816, deriving from many breeds including the Berkshire and Hampshire. It is the oldest American breed of swine....

, and perhaps some Chester White

Chester White

The Chester White is a breed of domestic pig which originated in Chester County, Pennsylvania.The Chester White was first developed around 1815-1818, using strains of large, white pigs common to the Northeast U.S. and a white boar imported from Bedfordshire...

 or Hampshire

Hampshire (pig)

The Hampshire pig is a domestic swine breed characterized by erect ears and a black body with a whitish band around the middle, covering the front legs....

. It was first developed from 1920 to 1925, and by 1934 the official Hereford registry was opened.

The Hereford was selected

Selective breeding

Selective breeding is the process of breeding plants and animals for particular genetic traits. Typically, strains that are selectively bred are domesticated, and the breeding is sometimes done by a professional breeder. Bred animals are known as breeds, while bred plants are known as varieties,...

 for both performance and its unique red-brown and white coloration that resembles Hereford cattle. The breed has always been most popular in the Midwestern United States, especially Illinois

Illinois

Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...

, Iowa

Iowa

Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...

, and Indiana

Indiana

Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...

. The breed grew in numbers into the mid 20th century, but by the 1960s populations plummeted due a shift in preference by commercial pork operations away from purebred hogs and towards hybrids. Today the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy

American Livestock Breeds Conservancy

The American Livestock Breeds Conservancy is a nonprofit organization focused on preserving and promoting genetic diversity among rare breeds of livestock...

 includes the breed in its watchlist, and estimates about 2,000 breeding animals remain.

Hereford hogs are hardy animals suited for either extensive

Extensive farming

Extensive farming or Extensive agriculture is an agricultural production system that uses small inputs of labour, fertilizers, and capital, relative to the land area being farmed....

 or intensive production

Intensive pig farming

Intensive piggeries are a type of factory farm ' specialized in the raising of domestic pigs up to slaughter weight...

. It has a docile temperament, and is suited to use in 4-H

4-H

4-H in the United States is a youth organization administered by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture of the United States Department of Agriculture , with the mission of "engaging youth to reach their fullest potential while advancing the field of youth development." The name represents...

and similar programs. It is a medium to large swine breed, and generally weighs 200 pound at five or six months of age. Mature sows weigh about 600 pound and boars about 800 pound.

Hereford hogs aren't incredibly common on the west coast of the USA. One Hereford hog breeder that breeds for butcher hogs and show hogs is Morgan Mason, owner of High Voltage Herefords(the name of the breeding business)

External links

• National Hereford Hog Record Association
• Hereford, Oklahoma State University Dept. of Animal Science