Our Trotters & Co

Large Black Pigs

The Large Black pig, as it's name suggests, is Britain's only all black pig. According to the Large Black Pig Breeders Club, the large black is "one of this country's oldest pig breeds and has its origins in the Old English Hog of the 16th & 17th centuries". Also the large black is a hardy, friendly and docile breed of pig making them ideal for novice pig keepers and those favouring outdoor systems.

Decline in numbers

 Like many of our Traditional British pig breeds, the Large Black has witnessed a decline in registered pigs numbers. Therefore, the Large Black is now one of the UKs rarest breeds of pig and currently stands as a category 3 (vulnerable) on the Rare Breed Survival Trust's 2014 watch list. As an active committee member of the Large Black Pig Breeders Club one of our aims is to ensure we retain as many of the different breeding lines as possible.

our breed lines

As breeders we work closely with the Large Black Pig Breeders club to identify declining lines. As such there is often a selection of different sow lines at Trausmawr Trotters & co. Currently we are working to increase the Grandeur, Larkspur and Warbler female lines.  The BPA 2021 survey records only 8 registered sows producing litters in this year from the Doreen sow line and according to this same survey we are one of only 8 keepers of this bloodline in the UK.

about our pigs

We were fortunate enough to have won Supreme pig champion at the Royal Welsh spring fair and the Three Counties Show in 2016.

Typically, the Large Black sows make very good mothers with litter sizes averaging between 8- 12 piglets in young healthy sows.  Fully grown, a sow will weigh around 300kg and take two years to reach full maturity.

welfare standards

All of our pigs are reared and grown on out of doors. That is to say they are free to roam 24 hours a day in an area more than capable of allowing them to exhibit all of their natural piggy behaviour.

The only exception to this rule would be our farrowing sows. They are brought indoors a week before birthing to prevent them farrowing outside. This ensures the piglets stay warm and safe from predators.

We keep our piglets inside until they are around 1week old. They then have the full use of the outside space set aside for our sows and piglets. All of our piglets are weaned at 8 weeks and are kept together in the same family litter until matured. Pigs are naturally a herd animal and prefer to live in small family groups. Even our breeding sows form bonds and when not farrowing will live in pairs.

why outdoor reared?

 Due to their color, Large Blacks suffer less from sunburn making them an ideal choice for those wishing to establish outdoor reared pork. A pigs natural instinct is to root and furrow the ground. allowing our pigs the opportunity to exhibit their natural behavior and instinct is important to us. Stressed, unhappy pigs produce inferior quality meat.

All round meat pig

The efficiency with which they convert low quality feed into pork of high quality, makes the Large Black an ideal pig for out-door producers. Despite its black skin the Large Black actually kills out with white flesh. Characterised by their lop ears and long deep body, the Large black makes an excellent all round pork pig but as a bacon pig, this breed excels.

Large Black Pork

Nothing comes close to slow grown outdoor reared pork for taste.

All of our meat pigs are reared slowly. which means they are brought to meat weight gradually using a cereal based feed made up of rolled wheat and barley, soya bean and beet. This feed together with the natural forage gives our pork a depth of flavour difficult to achieve in commercial indoor reared pigs.