POLAND CHINA
History
The origin of the Poland China has its beginning in the Miami Valley, Butler and Warren counties, Ohio.
In the year 1816, the Shaker Society, through their trustee, John Wallace, secured one boar and three sows from a firm in Philadelphia. These were known as Big China hogs. The boar and two sows were white, while the third sow had sandy to black spots. Historians believe they were the same hogs that were so popular about this time in the states of Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Virginia.
Hogs were bred for two important requirements, size and good travelers. They were driven to market and in some cases were compelled to travel nearly one hundred miles.
Between 1816 and 1835 the swine industry of southwestern Ohio had a great impetus, due to the beneficial effects of the Big China.
Some historians have fixed 1846 as the year of the discontinuance of all outside blood in crossing on the Warren county hog.
The Poland China hog today is recognized as a big framed, long bodied, lean, muscular individual that leads the U.S. pork production in pounds of hog per sow per year.
Breed Guidelines
Breed Classifications – Effective September 20, 2021
- Must possess Poland China Breed characteristics.
- Must be ear notched within 7 days of birth.
- Must be black with six white points (face, feet and switch).
- **Tail docking is permissible.
- **An occasional splash of white on the body is permissible.
- **A hog may not possess more than one (1) solid black leg and be determined as a Poland China.
- Must have ears down
- Must not have evidence of a belt formation of either white or white skin encircling and touching the points of the shoulder extending down on both sides of animal to the depth of the elbow pocket.
- Cannot have red or sandy hair/and or pigment.
- Hogs that have weighed ear tags or evidence of tampering of ears with possible ear tags are ineligible.
- All boars and gilts must have six (6) functional teats on each side for exhibition.
- All Poland sires and dams used to record a litter must have a DNA card on file to record a litter.
- For national shows, all entries must be stress identified and must be either stress negative or stress carriers. NO stress positives are allowed to be shown or sold.
Questions, call the Certified Pedigreed Swine office at (309) 691-0151.
Poland China Color Requirements
Ideal
1. Predominantly black possessing Poland China breed character.
2. A Poland China should have six white points: nose, each leg/foot and at the end of the tail
(unless tail is docked).
3. Ears are down when hog is in a relaxed position.
Acceptable
1. A slight continuation of white from the legs to the body
2. Ear may have white on it.
3. Three of the four legs must be white.
4. Hair and skin texture can vary from coarse to thin, and color can vary from dark black to
ashy/pale.
5. Ear deformity/ear folded in a backwards position towards hog’s body (crinkled ear).
Absolute Disqualifications
1. Erect ears
2. Solid white or solid black face
3. More than one solid black leg
4. If the white on a solid white ear goes past the base of the ear
5. An excessive continuation of white from the legs, encompassing the upper hip or shoulder
6. Excessive freestanding white, not attached to a leg
7. Evidence of belt formation
8. Red or sandy hair
9. Any evidence of physical tampering that would alter breed characteristics.
10. Ringneck -white totally encircling the neck