Berkshire
Berkshire pigs are one of the smaller native breeds, and hence are currently listed in the highest ‘Priority’ category of the Rare Breeds Survival Trust watchlist, with their small size making them less commercially viable. However, they produce a darker coloured meat and thus a richer flavour compared to other breeds, which is why we choose a Berkshire boar to father the piglets to grow for our meat boxes. Their small size also makes purebred Berkshires perfect for smallholders.
Oxford Sandy & Black
Made popular in recent years by a certain, well-known farming series, Oxfords are loved by smallholders for their unique markings - although like all our native breeds they still appear on the Rare Breeds Survival Trust watchlist. Very docile in nature, Oxfords make lovely sows and when crossed with our Berkshire boar produce a larger, good-looking pig perfect for our meat boxes.
Saddleback
They are the largest of the breeds we keep, with their long bodies meaning they produce a larger pig when crossed with the Berkshire boar, similar to the Oxford. Even with their larger size, Saddlebacks are still listed as At Risk by the Rare Breeds Survival Trust. Their distinctive markings are hard to miss and are dominant genetically, meaning that the saddleback stripe appears on both their pure-bred and cross-bred piglets.
