View source for Biology:British Saddleback

{{Short description|British breed of pig}}
{{use list-defined references|date=November 2016}}
{{Infobox pig breed
| name          = British Saddleback
| image         = Saddleback Sow, Best of Breed Stoneleigh 2009 (cropped).jpg
| image_size    = 
| image_alt     = 
| image_caption = Sow, judged Best of Breed at the Royal Show at Stoneleigh in Warwickshire in 2009
| status        = {{ubl|{{nobreak|FAO (2007): endangered-maintained}}|[[DAD-IS]] (2022): at risk/endangered|[[Organization:Rare Breeds Survival Trust|RBST]] (2022–2023): at risk}}
| altname       = 
| country       = United Kingdom
| distribution  = 
| standard      = [https://www.britishpigs.org.uk/documents/bpa-standards-of-excellence-british-saddleback.pdf British Pig Association]
| use           = dual-purpose, pork and bacon
| maleweight    = 320 kg{{r|rbst}}
| femaleweight  = 270 kg{{r|rbst}}
| maleheight    = 
| femaleheight  = 
| skincolour    = 
| hair          = 
| note          = 
}}

The '''British Saddleback''' is a modern British breed of [[Biology:Domestic pig|domestic pig]]. It was created in 1967 by merging the surviving populations of two traditional saddleback breeds, the Essex and Wessex Saddleback.{{r|mason|page=224}} It is an endangered breed, listed on the watchlist of the [[Organization:Rare Breeds Survival Trust|Rare Breeds Survival Trust]] as at risk, the second-highest level of concern.{{r|rbst2}}

== History ==

The British Saddleback was created in 1967 by merging the remaining populations of two quite different traditional saddleback breeds, the Essex and the Wessex Saddleback, into a single herd-book. Both breeds had declined following the publication of the Howitt report in 1955, which found breed diversity to be a handicap to the pig industry in Britain, and established a policy of concentrating production on three breeds only: the Welsh, the British Landrace and the Large White.{{r|bpa|howitt}}

During the Second World War some 47% of pedigree sow registrations were from the Essex and Wessex breeds. In 1949 there were 2435 licensed Essex and Wessex boars, almost 25% of the total number. By 1954 the two breeds accounted for no more than 22% of sow registrations and fewer than 10% of registered boars.{{r|bpa2}} The recommendation of the time was to cross-breed saddleback sows with a white boar to produce a dual-purpose pig, for both pork and bacon production.{{r|bpa2}}

The British Saddleback was listed as "endangered-maintained" by the FAO in 2007.{{r|barb|page=121}} In 2016 the [[Organization:Rare Breeds Survival Trust|Rare Breeds Survival Trust]] listed it as a "minority breed" rather than a rare breed.{{r|rbst}} In 2012 the population was reported to be 882;{{r|dad}} by 2019 that figure had fallen to 378. In 2022 the breed was listed in [[DAD-IS]] as at risk/endangered,{{r|dad2}} and in the 2022–2023 watchlist of the Rare Breeds Survival Trust its [[Biology:Conservation status|conservation status]] was given as at risk, the second-highest level of concern.{{r|rbst2}}

Saddlebacks have been exported to Bhutan, Brazil, Indonesia, the Leeward Islands, Nepal, Nigeria, the Russian Federation, the Seychelles and the Solomon Islands.{{r|cabi|p=566}}

== Characteristics ==

The British Saddleback is large and deep in the body. It is black with a white saddle, sheet or band round the [[Biology:Withers|withers]], shoulders and front legs; some white is allowed on the nose, tail and hind feet. It is lop-eared.{{r|rbst}} The coat is fine, straight and silky.{{r|cabi|p=566}}

== Use ==

The British Saddleback is hardy and forages well, and is suitable for extensive management.  It is a dual-purpose breed, used for the production of both pork and bacon.{{r|rbst}} It is among the most prolific of British pig breeds, with an average litter size of approximately 10;{{r|cabi|p=566|rbst|dad2}} sows have good maternal qualities.{{r|bpa2}}

== References ==
{{reflist|refs=

<ref name=barb>Barbara Rischkowsky, D. Pilling (eds.) (2007). [ftp://ftp.fao.org/docrep/fao/010/a1250e/annexes/List%20of%20breeds%20documented%20in%20the%20Global%20Databank%20for%20Animal%20Genetic%20Resources/List_breeds.pdf List of breeds documented in the Global Databank for Animal Genetic Resources], annex to [ftp://ftp.fao.org/docrep/fao/010/a1250e/a1250e.pdf ''The State of the World's Animal Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture'']. Rome: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. {{ISBN|9789251057629}}. Accessed November 2016.</ref>

<ref name=bpa>[http://www.britishpigs.org.uk/trad3.htm Official Policy to Focus on a Single Type of Pig]. British Pig Association. Accessed November 2016.</ref>

<ref name=bpa2>[https://web.archive.org/web/20080723220801/http://www.britishpigs.org/breed_bs.htm The British Saddleback]. British Pig Association. Archived 23 February 2008.</ref>

<ref name=cabi>Valerie Porter, Lawrence Alderson, Stephen J.G. Hall, D. Phillip Sponenberg (2016). [https://books.google.com/books?id=2UEJDAAAQBAJ ''Mason's World Encyclopedia of Livestock Breeds and Breeding''] (sixth edition). Wallingford: CABI. {{ISBN|9781780647944}}.</ref>

<ref name=dad>[http://dad.fao.org/cgi-bin/EfabisWeb.cgi?sid=0b1613ebf16355cf65f6a05b9a65fe25,reportsreport8a_50010501 British Saddleback/United Kingdom]. Domestic Animal Diversity Information System of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Accessed November 2016.</ref>

<ref name=dad2>[https://dadis-breed-datasheet-ext-ws.firebaseapp.com/?country=GBR&specie=Pig&breed=British%20Saddleback&lang=en Breed data sheet: British Saddleback / United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (Pig)]. Domestic Animal Diversity Information System of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Accessed April 2022.</ref>

<ref name=howitt>Harold Gibson Howitt (1955). ''Development of pig production in the United Kingdom: report of the Advisory Committee on Development of Pig Production in the United Kingdom''. London: Her Majesty's Stationery Office.</ref>

<ref name=mason>Valerie Porter (editor), Ian Lauder Mason (2002). [https://books.google.com/books?id=1FNUW-44fEsC&pg=PA224 ''Mason's World Dictionary of Livestock Breeds, Types and Varieties''] (5th edition). Wallingford: CABI. {{ISBN|085199430X}}.</ref>

<ref name=rbst>[https://web.archive.org/web/20161109221152/http://www.rbst.org.uk/Rare-and-Native-Breeds/Pigs/British-Saddleback British Saddleback]. Rare Breeds Survival Trust. Archived 9 November 2016.</ref>

<ref name=rbst2>[https://web.archive.org/web/20220424202511/https://www.rbst.org.uk/Handlers/Download.ashx?IDMF=5ee279d9-48ec-411d-962d-2115212bc0be Watchlist 2022–23]. Rare Breeds Survival Trust. Archived 24 April 2022.</ref>

}}


[[Category:Animal breeds on the RBST Watchlist]]

{{Sourceattribution|British Saddleback}}