Eight Rare Berkshire Pigs Born at Upper Canada Village

Congratulations to proud sow Lucy the Berkshire as she brought eight piglets into the world on Wednesday, June 4. The piglets, born in the winter barn, have now moved to Louck’s farm and will be out of their pen by the weekend of June 21. Always favourites, especially with the children who visit the farm, the piglets will be allowed to roam freely about the farmyard until they get too clever for their own good and start getting into trouble (like poking their noses into the front hall of the farmhouse or rooting in the garden).

The Berkshire is known as Britain’s oldest pig and was one of three main varieties of swine found in Upper Canada (Ontario) in the 1800s. The breed was originally developed in the mid-1700s in Southern England by crossing the traditional large, rough pig descended from the wild boar of Western Europe with Chinese and Siamese boars imported by British merchant ships. By 1789, Berkshires were the most numerous breed in England.

The first Berkshires were imported into the U.S. in 1823 and into Canada in 1838. Around 1870, J.G. Snell & Brothers of Ontario were known to have the finest herd in North America. Two other varieties of swine were also numerous in Canada in the 1800s. The Yorkshire, which is the typical white (or pink) pig, came to Canada in 1835 from Northern England. The Tamworth, which is reddish, came later, in 1877.

The Berkshire is now considered a rare breed, as the animals were further cross-bred into new varieties, such as the Poland China. There are now more than 180 breeds of swine throughout the world. The typical Berkshire is black with six white points – the face, the feet, and the brush of the tail. Boars can grow to an average of 500 to 750 pounds but one noticeable immigrant to the U.S. in 1841, named Windsor Castle, was a whopping 1000 pounds. Sows can grow to 450 to 650 pounds.

The pig is considered to be in the top ten smartest animals, right up there with the chimpanzee, dolphin, elephant, octopus, and dog. They are also considered to be one of the cleanest domestic animals, and only roll in mud to keep cool, as they have no sweat glands. Famous literary Berkshire pigs include Pig-wig in The Tale of Pigling Bland, by Beatrix Potter, and Napoleon in George Orwell’s Animal Farm (the main tyrant of the novel and said to be based on Joseph Stalin).
Lucy and her piglets are also joined by two new Berkshires at the Village: a new sow, Gert, two months old, and a new boar, Boris, six months old. All of the new recruits will help to preserve this rare breed at Upper Canada Village.

Upper Canada Village is located at Morrisburg ON Canada.