The Tamworth, also known as Sandy Back and Tam, is a breed of

domestic pig The pig (''Sus domesticus''), often called swine, hog, or domestic pig when distinguishing from other members of the genus '' Sus'', is an omnivorous, domesticated, even-toed, hoofed mammal. It is variously considered a subspecies of ''Sus ...

originating in its namesake Tamworth, Staffordshire, United Kingdom. It is among the oldest of pig breeds, but as with many older breeds of livestock, it is not well suited to modern production methods and is listed as "threatened" in the United States and "vulnerable" in the UK by the

Rare Breeds Survival Trust The Rare Breeds Survival Trust is a conservation charity whose purpose is to secure the continued existence and viability of the native farm animal genetic resources (FAnGR) of the United Kingdom. It was founded in 1973 by Joe Henson to pres ...

, as fewer than 300 registered breeding females remain. This animal is of ginger to red colouration and is thought to have descended from

wild boar The wild boar (''Sus scrofa''), also known as the wild swine, common wild pig, Eurasian wild pig, or simply wild pig, is a suid native to much of Eurasia and North Africa, and has been introduced to the Americas and Oceania. The species is ...

s, via native pig stock of

Europe Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a subcontinent of Eurasia and it is located entirel ...

. Principal populations today are in the United Kingdom, Australia, the United States, New Zealand, and Canada.

Description

This breed exhibits an elongated head shape and a long, narrow body. The ears are erect and pointed, while the face has rectilinear lines as well as the snout.

Colour Color (American English) or colour (British English) is the visual perceptual property deriving from the spectrum of light interacting with the photoreceptor cells of the eyes. Color categories and physical specifications of color are assoc ...

s range from a pale gingery to dark mahogany red. Early in the breed history, colours were orange and purple, but breeding has been conducted to remove the orange colouration. The

bristle A bristle is a stiff hair or feather (natural or artificial), either on an animal, such as a pig, a plant, or on a tool such as a brush or broom. Synthetic types Synthetic materials such as nylon are also used to make bristles in items such as ...

density protects their skin from

ultraviolet Ultraviolet (UV) is a form of electromagnetic radiation with wavelength from 10 nm (with a corresponding frequency around 30 PHz) to 400 nm (750 THz), shorter than that of visible light, but longer than X-rays. UV radiation ...

harm from the sun; nevertheless, when they

moult In biology, moulting (British English), or molting (American English), also known as sloughing, shedding, or in many invertebrates, ecdysis, is the manner in which an animal routinely casts off a part of its body (often, but not always, an outer ...

between June and August (in the Northern Hemisphere), shade is sought along with copious mud coating to prevent

sunburn Sunburn is a form of radiation burn that affects living tissue, such as skin, that results from an overexposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation, usually from the Sun. Common symptoms in humans and animals include: red or reddish skin that is h ...

. The mud coating also provides a way for the pigs to cool down, as pigs cannot sweat. Tamworths are considered a medium-sized porcine breed, with a full-grown

boar The wild boar (''Sus scrofa''), also known as the wild swine, common wild pig, Eurasian wild pig, or simply wild pig, is a suid native to much of Eurasia and North Africa, and has been introduced to the Americas and Oceania. The species is ...

ranging from and the mature sow from . The adult length ranges from and heights of about are common. The curled adult tail is about . This animal is characterised by having a neck and legs that are long, and by deep sides, but narrow backs. Its ham structures are quite muscular and firm. The breed is also known for having excellent foot structure and a good skeletal system.

Litter Litter consists of waste products that have been discarded incorrectly, without consent, at an unsuitable location. Litter can also be used as a verb; to litter means to drop and leave objects, often man-made, such as aluminum cans, paper cups ...

sizes are typically somewhat smaller than commercial breeds. Unacceptable features according to breed aficionados are: curly hair, coarse mane, turned up nose, and dark spots on the coat.

Behaviour

The most salient feature of the Tamworth is its great hardiness with respect to adverse climates. Thus, the breed does well in its more northerly settings such as Scotland and Canada, where winters are severe, not only in regard to cold but also high winds. The animal is not only durable and rugged, but also is extremely well-suited for forest grazing, being able to thrive on

bracken Bracken (''Pteridium'') is a genus of large, coarse ferns in the family Dennstaedtiaceae. Ferns (Pteridophyta) are vascular plants that have alternating generations, large plants that produce spores and small plants that produce sex cells (eggs ...

. Tamworths graze compatibly with cattle, being able to retrieve forage that cattle leave behind in the open pasture. This said, Tamworth pigs can be protective of their territories, thus somewhat aggressive towards any other livestock in the same pasture. This animal is very efficient at excavation while rooting for food in the forest or pasture. The breed is used in forage-based farming systems. The sows demonstrate good maternal skills, being consistent in suckling all

littermate A litter is the live birth of multiple offspring at one time in animals from the same mother and usually from one set of parents, particularly from three to eight offspring. The word is most often used for the offspring of mammals, but can be use ...

s. Litters normally range in size from six to ten piglets. Piglets at birth are usually wild and wary of humans, but easily adjust to human interaction. Tamworths display a good disposition and enjoy the attention of humans.

History

The breed originated in

Sir Robert Peel Sir Robert Peel, 2nd Baronet, (5 February 1788 – 2 July 1850) was a British Conservative statesman who served twice as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (1834–1835 and 1841–1846) simultaneously serving as Chancellor of the Exchequer ...

's Drayton Manor in Drayton Bassett almost next to the market town of Tamworth, Staffordshire where they were first sold, after the existing herd was interbred from 1812 with pigs from Ireland known as "Irish Grazers", that Peel had seen in Ireland in 1809. Much of the improvement took place locally in Staffordshire and in Warwickshire, Leicestershire, and Northamptonshire, all in England. The breed is little interbred with non-European breeds and close to original European forest swine. In 1865, Tamworths achieved English breed recognition and in 1885 the herd book was started. Tamworths were imported into the United States by Thomas Bennett of Rossville, Illinois, in 1882. Soon they entered Canada where they have also endured. Breed associations for Tamworth swine are active in the UK, the USA, and Canada. Farmers in each country much favour other pigs in quantity. From 1913 to mid-century, the breed reached peak numbers in Canada, reaching up to 10% of total swine. In Australia, the breed reached peak numbers of about 1000 in the mid-20th century.''Australian Agriculture 1993'', National Farmers Federation, Morescope Publishing (1993) In New Zealand there were five breeding sows in 2002; in 2021 it was listed as "priority" by the Rare Breeds Conservation Society of New Zealand.

Genetics and conservation

Being a breed considered quite distant genetically from most modern commercial swine, the Tamworth is considered an excellent choice for

cross-breeding A crossbreed is an organism with purebred parents of two different breeds, varieties, or populations. ''Crossbreeding'', sometimes called "designer crossbreeding", is the process of breeding such an organism, While crossbreeding is used to main ...

. It is sometimes called a " bacon pig" because of its ability to achieve high body mass without having much actual

fat In nutrition, biology, and chemistry, fat usually means any ester of fatty acids, or a mixture of such compounds, most commonly those that occur in living beings or in food. The term often refers specifically to triglycerides (triple est ...

. As at 2018 breeding females number: USA (1000); United Kingdom (340); Canada (254); Australia (55), and New Zealand (40). The breeding societies in each country consider conservation the highest priority, with a great emphasis upon record-keeping.

Gallery

File:Mudchute farm pig side.jpg File:Queensland State Archives 1693 Champion Tamworth sow 1951.png File:Tamworth Sow - Best of Breed.jpg File:Beginnings in animal husbandry (1912) (20353361662).jpg Tamworthaberdeenshire.jpg, Adult Tamworth pig, Aberdeenshire, Scotland

Description

Behaviour

History

Genetics and conservation

See also

Gallery

References

Further reading