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Danish Landrace
The breed originated from the original native pig with infusions of German Landrace and the Danish Landrace. The breed is found primarily in the southern, eastern and northern parts of the country. The Dutch Landrace is considered to be a particularly efficient breed for meat production, and is unusually responsive to the halothane test, which can be used to weed out individuals with low projected survivability and meat production. At four test stations throughout the Netherlands, the Centraal Bureau tests over 1,000 Dutch Landrace litters per year, for conformation to the ideal standards for growth and reproduction, and for the rate and meat-to-fat ratio of their weight gain. This has allowed the breed to be refined and farmed very efficiently, very easily.
During the later 1960's and the 1970's, pig farming in Holland underwent great changes. In 1960, there were less than 3 million pigs on 146,000 farms, by 1981 there were only 40,900 pig farms, but they had over 10.3 million pigs. The farms had been consolidated, and a much more intensive, factory-farming style was adopted. Dutch farmers now export the majority of their pork abroad. This has been made possible, to a great extent, by the aforementioned testing and specialised breeding.
Dutch Landrace have the same general appearance of the other Landrace breeds, being white in colour and having the characteristic large and drooped ears. The breed has been developed to have wider backs and heavier hams than found on some Landrace strains. The breed is also known for high fertility and very good maternal abilities. As with other Landrace breeds, Dutch Landrace sows will have two-to-three litters of six-to-ten piglets a year, but ten to lose fewer piglets during farrowing due to their strong maternal instincts, and high milk production.
The average weight of the male at slaughtered Dutch Landrace Pig is 350-375lbs (160-170kg). The Dutch Landrace Pig breed full grown has an average-to-large body; the average mature sow is 450-600lbs (204-272kg) and the average weight of a mature boar is 500-700lbs (226-318kg).
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