Middle White

Middle White is a pig breed developed in Yorkshire, England, in the nineteenth century, distinguished by a very short, upturned, dished snout and small, forward-pricked ears set on an otherwise typical white pig body. Bred originally as a small, early-maturing breed suited to producing pork rather than bacon, it was exported to Japan in the early twentieth century, where it became particularly prized for the quality of its meat and remains associated with premium pork production there. In Britain, the Middle White declined sharply through the twentieth century as commercial pig farming shifted toward faster growing, leaner breeds, and it is now classified as a rare or endangered breed, conserved by rare breed organizations and a small number of dedicated breeders. Its short face and compact build make it one of the most visually distinctive of the traditional British pig breeds.