Small pig breeds are often the best choice for homesteaders and small farmers. These animals are easier to care for, require less space and food, and will adapt to the conditions of your farm.
The best part is that these breeds produce a higher number of pigs per litter than large breeds do, so you can get more meat in a shorter amount of time.
The downside is that you can’t raise them in a pen or coop like chickens because they need room to roam around and root around in the dirt. This means you have to have enough land available, but it also means you’ll be able to eat fresh pork year round!
Here’s our list of the best small pig breeds for meat:
The best breeds for meat are fast-growing and have a high feed conversion rate. These are the same traits that make them great choices for bacon and ribs, but they don’t necessarily apply to smaller pigs.
Many of the most popular breeds of meat pigs are not small enough to be easily raised by small farmers or homesteaders. This isn’t a matter of opinion; it’s an objective fact based on average weight at slaughter time. For example, the average weight of an animal that is well-grown enough to be sold as hog meat is between 250-300 pounds live weight (roughly 150-175 pounds dressed).
Small Pig Breeds For Meat
Adorable mini pigs bred in this small, Alabama town – YouTube
Here are some pig breeds that are suitable for people who want to raise a few pigs as part of their homestead:
Yorkshire: The Yorkshire pig is known for its docile temperament and high feed conversion rate, making it an ideal breed for people just beginning their pig farming adventure. They can reach market weight in about six months or less, which makes this breed ideal for anyone who wants to start raising pigs without going bankrupt first! Yorkshires grow slowly but steadily until they reach their full size of around 200 pounds live weight. They’re also some of the best mothers around!
The most common and popular pig breeds are the Large White, Landrace, Yorkshire and Duroc. These breeds are used for meat production and are known for their rapid growth rate.
However, there are many other smaller pig breeds that can be raised for meat. These include:
Berkshire – The Berkshire is a cross between the British Saddleback and Large Black Pigs. They are known for their large size, excellent mothering ability and good temperament. Their meat is marbled with fat so it has a sweet flavor that many people enjoy.
Cumberland – The Cumberland Pig is a small breed that was developed in England in 1810 by crossing Large Whites with Tamworths. They have white hair on their ears and tail which makes them easy to identify at a distance. They have very little fat in their meat making it leaner than other breeds but they do produce lots of milk which some people find useful when raising pigs as pets or lawn mowers!
Here are some of the smaller pig breeds:
Berkshire
Cameronian
Duroc
Hereford
Red Wattle
Yorkshire
One of the most popular kinds of pig breeds for meat is the Gloucestershire Old Spots. They are also known as “meat spots” and are one of the oldest breeds of pig in England. These pigs are very small but they make up for it with their high quality meat.
The Gloucestershire Old Spots have been around since at least 1660, when they were mentioned in a book by John Evelyn, who was a famous English writer and diarist. These pigs have been bred to have black spots on their bodies, which makes them look like they’re covered in polka dots. They come in both red and white varieties.
The Gloucestershire Old Spots are known for being friendly, which makes them great pets as well as good producers of meat. They don’t need much space either because they’re small animals that don’t take up much room.