Pietrain, Belgium, the village from which the breed takes its name, was the birthplace of the breed. The exact origin is unknown but the local breed was «brought to the fore» during the difficult period of the swine market in 1950-51. The breed became popular in its native country and was exported to other countries, especially Germany.

The breed is of medium size and is white with black spots. Around the black spots there are characteristic rings of light pigmentation that carries white hair. This, coupled with the fact that the black hair is not as deeply pigmented as on black breeds, or the black spots on some spotted breeds, leaves them with less than the most attractive coats. The breed is commonly referred to as being of piebald markings. The ears are carried erect.

The type of the breed is quite distinct. They are shorter of leg than most breeds, stockier in build, and quite broad along the back. The hams are extremely bulging and muscular. They carry an extremely high proportion of lean to fat. The breed has a good  reputation for very high quality lean and makes the breed a desired one for fresh meat processing.

Pietrain swine were imported into Germany in 1960-61. The main breeding areas in that country are Schleswig-Holstein, Nordrhein-Westfalen and Wurttemberg-Baden. In Porcisan, we buy  our  boars for genetic supply in one of these areas. Pietrain breed  is commonly used in crossbreeding in Germany to improve the quality of pork produced.

The crossbreeding with a Pietrain boar improve the final results: high quality meat, killing out proportion, good carcass conformation as well as a very high percentage of lean meat.

For these reasons, we select personally our boars in Germany and our livestock have an extraordinary quality.

Reference: Briggs, Hilton M. 1983. International Pig Breed Encyclopedia.

Photograph: Porcisan