Britain's Oldest Pedigree Pig Breed
A living heritage stretching back over four centuries
The Berkshire is not merely a pig breed — it is a four-hundred-year thread woven through the fabric of British agricultural history.
From the rolling fields where Cromwell's soldiers first marvelled at its size and quality, through the royal estates of Victorian England, across the Pacific to become Japan's most prized pork — the Berkshire has lived an extraordinary life. Today, it stands as one of Britain's most vulnerable heritage breeds, kept alive by dedicated breeders who understand that some things are worth preserving.
The Berkshire is the oldest recorded pedigree pig breed in Britain, and the first pig breed in the world to have a dedicated herd book. Its story is one of royal patronage, near-extinction, and remarkable revival — a story intimately connected to the changing tastes, economics, and values of British farming.
"Japanese buyers still consider Berkshires from Britain to have the best taste and flavour." — British Pig Association
Four centuries of heritage, from Cromwell's army to the finest restaurants in Tokyo
During the English Civil War, Oliver Cromwell's troops, quartered in and around Reading in the county of Berkshire, made reference to a locally bred pig "renowned for its size and the quality of its bacon and ham." This is one of the earliest written records of the Berkshire breed. These original pigs were very different from today's Berkshire — they were large, coarse animals whose colour varied from black to sandy red, sometimes spotted, with variable white patches and lop ears.
In the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, the breed was substantially transformed by cross-breeding with small black pigs imported from China and Siam (modern-day Thailand). These Asian bloodlines refined the Berkshire into a smaller, more compact animal and established the distinctive black coat with white points that we recognise today — the white "socks," white flash on the face, and white tip to the tail.
Important strides in breed improvement took place during this decade, much of which is attributed to Lord Barrington. The breed was refined for consistency of type, improved conformation, and the distinctive appearance that would come to define it. This period laid the groundwork for the Berkshire's rise to prominence.
The first Berkshire pig was exported to the United States, beginning a trend that would continue throughout the century. The breed's quality and temperament made it highly sought after by American farmers seeking to improve their herds.
Berkshire pigs were exported to Japan, where they would find perhaps their most devoted admirers. The Japanese immediately recognised the exceptional quality of Berkshire pork, and the breed became deeply embedded in Japanese culinary culture. By 2007, Japan was home to over 330,000 Berkshire pigs — dwarfing the UK population and earning the breed its revered Kurobuta (黒豚, "black pig") status.
The American Berkshire Association was established — the first breed society for any pig breed anywhere in the world. The very first pig registered in their herd book was a boar named "Ace of Spades", reportedly bred by none other than Queen Victoria herself at the Windsor Castle estate. This remains one of the most storied facts in pig breeding history.
By 1877, the Smithfield Show offered separate Berkshire classes, reflecting the breed's immense popularity. During the last seventeen years of the nineteenth century, the breed produced twelve Smithfield champions, including pigs exhibited by members of the Royal Family. Queen Victoria maintained a noted herd of Berkshires, and the breed enjoyed patronage from the aristocracy throughout this golden era.
As with all coloured pig breeds, the Berkshire suffered a devastating decline following World War II. Consumer demand shifted towards leaner bacon from white-skinned pigs, and the development of commercial breeding companies in the 1960s — which overwhelmingly favoured white breeds like the Large White and Landrace for intensive systems — pushed the Berkshire to the brink of extinction in its homeland.
Due to a handful of dedicated, loyal breeders — the "stalwarts" as the British Pig Association calls them — the Berkshire survived. These passionate individuals maintained their herds through decades of commercial indifference, preserving bloodlines that might otherwise have been lost forever. To broaden the genetic base, six boars were imported from Australia and New Zealand over fifty years, and semen was sourced from the USA — all descended from the original English Berkshire.
The growing consumer interest in traditional meat produced extensively has renewed interest in the Berkshire. The breed's connection to Japanese Kurobuta marketing has helped raise its profile internationally. Today there are six male and nine female bloodlines available to breeders, and the breed is classified as Vulnerable by the Rare Breeds Survival Trust — meaning it still needs active conservation efforts. Every Berkshire pig raised helps secure the future of this remarkable breed.
A distinctive, handsome breed — instantly recognisable and unmistakable in the field
The Berkshire is a medium-sized, compact breed with a distinctive and elegant appearance. Its jet-black coat is complemented by six characteristic white markings — often described as the breed's "signature": four white socks, a white splash or blaze on the face, and a white tip to the tail.
Perhaps the most distinguishing feature is the Berkshire's prick ears — fairly large ears that stand erect and incline slightly forward, fringed with fine hair. This immediately sets it apart from other black breeds like the Large Black, which has lop ears that cover its eyes. The face is slightly dished (concave), with a broad snout of medium length and a light jowl.
The body is compact and short-legged, with a long, level, wide back from neck to rump. The loins are broad, full and strong, with well-sprung ribs and a full belly. The hams are broad, full and deep to the hock — a testament to the breed's excellence as a pork producer.
| Category | Live Weight | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Mature Boar | ~280 kg (620 lb) | Fully grown adult male; allowance made for shield development |
| Mature Sow | ~220 kg (485 lb) | Fully grown adult female in breeding condition |
| Slaughter Weight (Porker) | 60–70 kg live weight | Reached at approximately 3–4 months; ideal for fresh pork |
| Ideal Carcass Weight | 36–45 kg (deadweight) | Early-finishing breed; yields excellent pork at this range |
| Baconer Weight | 80–100 kg live weight | For bacon and curing; takes longer than commercial whites |
A gentle, intelligent breed that rewards good stockmanship with excellent results
The Berkshire is renowned for its docile, even temperament. It is one of the most easily managed pig breeds — calm around handlers, not easily startled, and genuinely pleasant to work with. This makes it an excellent choice for smallholders and family farms, as well as for educational and heritage farm parks.
Berkshire sows are known for their excellent maternal instincts. They are attentive, careful mothers who rarely overlay their piglets. Average litter size is approximately 10 piglets (9.98 based on 2009 BPA data), which, while smaller than commercial breeds averaging 12–14, means better individual attention and higher survival rates in extensive systems.
The Berkshire can cope with most conditions and is extremely well suited to outdoor and free-range systems. Their black skin provides natural resistance to sunburn (unlike pink-skinned breeds), and they are excellent foragers who thrive when given access to pasture and woodland. They are equally suited to indoor systems when managed well.
The Berkshire is versatile and adapts to various production systems:
The science behind the flavour — why Berkshire pork is genuinely, measurably superior
In Japan, Berkshire pork is marketed as Kurobuta and commands prices comparable to premium Wagyu beef. This isn't marketing hype — it's backed by centuries of culinary tradition and modern meat science.
Berkshire pork has a characteristically higher ultimate pH than commercial breeds. Research from Iowa State University found that despite this, Berkshire pork was consistently preferred in blind taste tests over both high-pH and low-pH commodity pork. The higher pH contributes to superior moisture retention, darker colour, and more complex flavour development during cooking.
The Berkshire deposits significantly more intramuscular fat (marbling) than commercial breeds like the Large White or Landrace. This fat is distributed throughout the muscle tissue rather than sitting in thick external layers. The result is meat that stays juicy during cooking, bastes itself from within, and delivers a rich, buttery mouthfeel that lean commercial pork simply cannot match.
Where commercial pork is often pale and anaemic in appearance, Berkshire pork is a deep rose-pink — rich and vibrant. This colour comes from higher myoglobin content and is an immediate visual indicator of superior quality. Despite the black skin, the meat dresses out beautifully white-skinned with no pigmentation in the flesh.
Perhaps the most noticeable difference in the kitchen: Berkshire pork doesn't shrink and dry out during cooking. The combination of higher pH and intramuscular fat means the meat retains its moisture superbly. Your Sunday roast will be juicy, your chops will be succulent, and you'll never see that pool of grey water in the pan that plagues supermarket pork.
Berkshire pork has a naturally sweet, rich, intensely porky flavour that has been described by chefs as complex, nutty, and deeply satisfying. The slow growth rate allows more time for flavour compounds to develop in the muscle. In blind taste tests, consumers consistently rate Berkshire pork higher for overall eating satisfaction, tenderness, and flavour intensity.
The superior fat content and moisture retention make Berkshire pork forgiving and versatile in the kitchen. Roast it, slow-cook it, grill it, cure it — every method delivers exceptional results. The crackling is superb (the skin renders beautifully), and the belly produces layers of sweet, melting fat and tender meat that no commercial breed can rival.
"Black Pig" — Japan's most prized pork
When Berkshire pigs first arrived in Japan in the 1860s, Japanese farmers and chefs immediately recognised something special. The breed's rich intramuscular fat, complex flavour, and tender texture aligned perfectly with Japanese culinary values — where the quality of each ingredient is paramount.
Today, Kurobuta pork commands premium prices of 2–3 times that of standard pork in Japanese markets. In high-end Tokyo restaurants, a Kurobuta tonkatsu (breaded pork cutlet) can cost ¥3,000–5,000 (£15–25) for a single serving. The Kagoshima Prefecture in southern Japan became the centre of Kurobuta production, with a population descending from British Berkshires imported in the 1930s — now recognised as the distinct Kagoshima Berkshire breed.
Japan's Berkshire population reached over 330,000 by 2007 — far exceeding the breed's numbers in its British homeland. The irony is profound: a breed that nearly vanished from Britain thrives across the world, and Japanese buyers still cross oceans to source breeding stock from British Berkshire herds, believing the original English bloodlines produce the finest meat of all.
A vulnerable breed that needs your support — and rewards it with extraordinary pork
The Rare Breeds Survival Trust (RBST) classifies the Berkshire as Vulnerable on their Watchlist. This means the breed's UK population has recovered somewhat from its lowest point (when it was classified as "At Risk" in 2011), but it remains perilously low and in need of active conservation.
The RBST Watchlist categories for pigs are:
Conservation herds are maintained at Aldenham Country Park in Hertfordshire and the South of England Rare Breeds Centre in Kent, but the breed's future depends on commercial breeders and farmers who choose to raise Berkshires.
Preserving the Berkshire isn't just about nostalgia — it's about maintaining genetic diversity in our livestock. Heritage breeds carry genetic traits that commercial breeds have lost through decades of selection for narrow commercial traits:
Heritage breeds like the Berkshire carry genes for disease resistance, hardiness, and adaptability that may prove invaluable as farming faces climate change and new disease pressures. Once lost, these genes cannot be recreated.
Commercial pig breeding has prioritised growth speed and leanness at the cost of flavour. The Berkshire preserves the eating quality that pork once universally had — before industrial farming changed what we expect from a pork chop.
Buy Berkshire pork. It's that simple. Every purchase creates economic demand that makes it viable for farmers to keep this breed. You get exceptional pork; the breed gets a future. Supporting small-scale Berkshire producers is the single most effective conservation action a consumer can take.
Our Berkshire pork is raised on our family farm on the Buckinghamshire/Northamptonshire borders. Heritage breed, honestly reared, exceptionally flavoured.
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