Gloucester Old Spot Pigs
The 'Gloucestershire Old Spot' pig is known for its docility, intelligence and prolificity. Boars reach a mature weight of 600 lb (272 kg) and sows 500 lb (227 kg). The pigs are white with clearly defined black spots. There must be at least one spot on the body to be accepted in the registry. The breed’s maternal skills enable it to raise large litters of piglets. This can be up to 32 piglets per year.
The Old Spots was once a very popular breed of pig. With the advent of intensive farming, certain lean, pale, high-yield breeds were chosen to suit the factory conditions and needs of mass-production. Many old breeds of pig died out or were greatly diminished, in this time. However, owing to consumer pressure in the United Kingdom, and changes to the law, both attributable to an increasing awareness of and concern about, farming conditions, pigs have been increasingly reared outdoors there. In addition, more consumers are looking for quality meat, as opposed to cheap, bland meat product. In these conditions, old breeds well-suited to living outdoors, such as the Old Spots. This is one of the reasons Coopers Farm have chosen this breed over others and adding value to the produce that we have at the farm.
Many of our customers ask how long a sow is pregnant. The simple answer is 3 months, 3 weeks and 3 days. A strange formula but consistently works.