Taihu

The Taihu pig is a group of Chinese pig types from the Lake Tai region, especially valued for very high prolificacy and wrinkled black skin. Taihu-related strains include Meishan and other local types, though naming can vary. These pigs are not fast-growing lean commercial pigs; their importance lies in reproduction, maternal traits, adaptation, and the genetic value they have contributed to breeding research.

Taihu pigs need management that respects their body type and tendency toward fatness. Feed should be controlled, housing should stay dry and clean, and breeding sows should be monitored carefully through farrowing because large litters need support. Breeders may use Taihu genetics to improve litter size, but they should keep clear records of strain and crosses. For conservation, preserving the specific local type matters more than using Taihu as a broad label for any Chinese black pig.

Colors: Belted, Black, Black and White, Blonde, Brown, Cream, Ginger, Ginger and Black, Pied, Red, Red and Black, Sandy, Solid Black, Solid White, Spotted, Swallow Belly, White