China’s local pig breeds reach sexual maturity early and have high ovulation counts. According to statistics for 9 breeds, including the Northeast Min Pig, Jinhua Pig, Jiaxing Black Pig, and Neijiang Pig, the average age at sexual maturity is 130 days, and the average ovulation count is 17.21 for first-parity sows and 21.58 for sows that have given birth before.
Foreign pig breeds generally reach sexual maturity at over 180 days of age and also have lower ovulation counts. Local pig breeds have large litters: across the breeds mentioned above, the average litter size is 10.54 piglets for first-parity sows and 13.64 for sows that have given birth before. Among foreign breeds with high reproductive capacity, Landrace and Large White average 9.25 piglets in the first parity and 11 in subsequent parities. By comparison, local pig breeds also have favorable reproductive traits, including more teats, more obvious signs of estrus, higher conception rates, stronger maternal care, and higher piglet survival rates.
I. Meat Quality
Although local pig breeds have more fat and less lean meat, their meat quality is significantly better than that of foreign pig breeds. Some lean-type breeds improved through selective breeding overseas have a high incidence of PSE meat (pale, soft, exudative meat, a type of inferior-quality meat). Chinese local pig breeds have excellent meat quality: their muscle is tender and juicy, the muscle fibers are relatively fine and dense, and the muscle has a moderate distribution of marbling, with fat particles filling the spaces between muscle fibers. This produces a distinctive aroma during cooking.
II. Adaptability
Through long-term natural and artificial selection, local pig breeds have developed good abilities to withstand cold and heat, resist disease, tolerate low-nutrient diets, and adapt to coarse-fiber feed.
III. Growth rate
In terms of growth rate, foreign pig breeds are significantly faster-growing than local Chinese pig breeds. During the growth and fattening period, local Chinese breeds such as Minzhu, Jinhua, and Taihu pigs have an average daily gain of 453 grams, while foreign breeds such as Landrace, Duroc, and Large White pigs have an average daily gain of 667 grams. Foreign pig breeds can reach over 90 kilograms at 180 days of age, whereas local Chinese pig breeds take far longer than 180 days of age to reach 90 kilograms.
IV. Feed Conversion Efficiency
The average feed-to-meat ratio of the Chinese local pig breeds Minzhu, Jinhua, and Taihu is 3.5:1, while that of the foreign pig breeds Landrace, Duroc, and Large White is 3:1. Foreign pig breeds have high feed utilization efficiency, which can save feed and reduce feeding costs.
V. Lean meat percentage
The carcass lean percentage of foreign pig breeds is higher than that of Chinese local pig breeds. At a body weight of 90 kg, foreign pig breeds have a carcass lean percentage of over 55%. At 90 kg, Chinese local fat-type pigs have a carcass lean percentage below 45%.