The Italian Landrace pig is a breed of domestic pig from Italy. It is also known as Landrace italiana and the breed derives from the Danish Landrace pig breed which was developed in Denmark at the end of the 19th century.
Stock of the Danish Landrace breed was imported into Italy after the Second World War.
Currently the Italian Landrace pig is the second most numerous pig breed in Italy after the Large White Italiana. In Italy, the breed has been selected and raised principally for the prosciutto crodo production.
Other smaller breed the ‘Belgian Landrace‘ is also raised in Italy generally for fresh meat production.
A herdbook for the breed is kept by the Associazione Nazionale Allevatori Suini, the national pig-breeders’ association. And the genealogical herdbook for the breed was established in 1970.
The Italian Landrace pig breed standard is issued by the Ministero delle Politiche Agricole Alimentari e Forestali, the Italian ministry of agriculture and forestry.
Currently most of the Italian Landrace pig breed population is concentrated in the Po Valley, where heavy pig breeds are mostly raised. There were 11,749 pigs registered in 2007. And total number of the animal was 5959 at the end of 2012. Read more information about the breed below.
Italian Landrace Pig Characteristics
The Italian Landrace pigs are large animals. They have large dropping ears and their coat is usually of white color.
They have a very long body mainly due to the presence of two or three supernumerary vertebrae (they have 15-16 rather than the usual 13). Their hair is white and the skin is unpigmented.
The fully grown Italian Landrace boars on average weight around 225-320 kg. And average live body weight of the fully grown sows vary from 200 to 275 kg. Photo from PetMapz and info from Wikipedia.
Special Notes
Like other Landrace strains, the Italian Landrace pig breed is very hardy animal. It is very suitable for good quality bacon production.
The breed has been effective for improving the productivity and quality of pig in Italy as it has bred with other pig breeds and the local pigs.
Most of the pig farmers like the increased milk production, large litter size and ability to care for large litters.
The Italian Landrace pig has all these characteristics. Meat production from the Italian Landrace is normally from first-generation crosses with either the Large White Italiana or the Duroc Italiana breed, slaughtered at a weight of 160–170 kg; almost all of it is used to make preserved meat products.
The breed is suitable for both intensive and extensive pig farming system. But it is generally farmed intensively. However, review full breed profile of the Italian Landrace pig in the following chart.
| Breed Name | Italian Landrace | |
| Other Name | Landrace italiana | |
| Special Notes | Very hardy, suitable for good quality bacon production, good for improving other pig breeds, sows are good mothers, very good for intensive system | |
| Breed Size | Large | |
| Boars | Vary from 225-320 kg | |
| Sows | Vary from 200-275 kg | |
| Climate Tolerance | All climates | |
| Color | White | |
| Rarity | Available | |
| Country/Place of Origin | Italy |
