Meishan

The Meishan is a Chinese pig from the Taihu group, especially associated with the lower Yangtze region. It is a black, heavily wrinkled, lop-eared pig valued for early maturity, large litters, and strong maternal traits. Meishans are usually smaller and fatter than modern lean commercial pigs, and their face and skin folds make them easy to recognize. Their main importance has been as a genetic resource for reproduction and adaptation, not as a fast-finishing terminal breed.

Meishans can be useful in small farms, research herds, and crossbreeding programs, but they still need thoughtful management. Skin folds should stay clean, breeding should not start just because animals mature early, and feed should be controlled to prevent excess fat. Breeders interested in the line should track litter data, mothering, and ancestry carefully, because the breed's practical value depends on reproductive traits that cannot be judged from appearance alone.

Colors: Belted, Black, Black and White, Blonde, Brown, Cream, Ginger, Ginger and Black, Red, Red and Black, Sandy, Solid Black, Solid White, Spotted, Swallow Belly, White