Wild Boar and Pigs

We have a total pig community of 2,700 comprising seven breeds: 145 sows will collectively produce 2,550 piglets this year. They live outdoors with arks for housing and occupy approximately 30 acres which we rotate each year. Of our 100 plus wild boars, we have 30 sows who will produce 120 boarlets in the spring. They occupy a further eight acres.

Wild Boar - The original pig. Boar produce leaner meat and has a richer taste. Wild boar are subject to the Dangerous Animals Act and we keep them in a purpose-built outdoor facility incorporating some woodland, keeping them in as natural an environment as possible.

Saddleback - Slow-growing pigs, they produce good, tasty pork and are well suited to our varying climate.

Middle White - These are very rare and produce meat that is perhaps a little fattier than the Saddleback, but it is often considered our best tasting pork.

Kune Kune - This is a small breed of pig originating from New Zealand and are grazing animals like sheep.

Large White crossed with a Landrace - A prolific breed producing high numbers and lean carcass.

Duroc - This breed of pig originating from Canada. These are used on our Large White crossed with a Landrace to produce an exceptional bacon pig.

Wild Boar cross (the Laverstoke Blue) - We have crossed our wild boar with our traditional pigs giving us a breed that approaches the earliest type of non-domesticated pig. We have called this "breeding backwards", following our theory of slow growing and better tasting. The result of this cross is very special meat unique to Laverstoke.