Why We Chose Meishan Pigs
We were not pig people. In fact, pigs were actually the last animal I thought we’d ever add to our homestead. While cute, they seemed not the right fit for us. That said, when I started researching meat sources, cost, return on investment with benefit to the farm, coexistence, AND meat… the pig was on the table (so to speak). I found Meishans when researching most docile hog breeds. I’d heard horror stories of hog bites and attacks from both wild boars and domestics hogs, so it had me a little nervous. I came across several Youtube videos and then the FaceBook group for the American Meishan Breeder’s Association. I was interested, and after talking we settled on looking into the breed. A few nights later, an opportunity fell into our hands and we grabbed on. We adore our piggies, and I look forward to sharing about what makes pigs interesting, how they live, how we use them, and more. First though, let us dive into why we chose the Meishan (with sources under each section, so that you can also research, if you’d like!):
1. Gourmet Meat, Lard & Versatility
Not being big pork people previously, the taste aspect of raising animals for meat is important to us. Meishan pork is characterized by its intense micro-marbling, which provides a "melt in your mouth" quality that sets it apart from other pork. It is reminiscent of beef. Even for those who don't typically enjoy pork, the quality of this red meat is revolutionary. Furthermore, many people emphasize the value of the leaf lard; its fine texture makes it a "super-fat" for baking, high-end soaps, and salves, providing multiple revenue streams from a single animal.
Article:Meat and Meat Product Quality of Rare Pork – PMC/National Institutes of Health
Article:Meishan Swine Breed Profile – Oklahoma State University
Article:Cold-Process Synthesis and Properties of Soaps – ResearchGate. (Analyzes how animal fats like lard produce smooth, soft skin and a dense creamy lather - a future venture on our farm, for sure!)
2. Docile Temperament & Handling
We like to be hands-on with our animals, and also have other animals. We don’t need nor want something dangerous on our farm. Meishans are sedentary and gentle, ideal for those wanting to avoid aggression or "escape artist" behavior. They are often described as "lazy" and do not aggressively test fences, making them safe for family handling and easy to manage with minimal infrastructure. This docility ensures a low-stress environment for both the farmer and the livestock.
Website: Small Farmer’s Journal
Article:Behavioral Evaluation of Chinese Meishan Sows – ResearchGate
3. Pasture-Friendly "Cow-Pigs"
I LOVE cows, and at the time, Meishans were our venture into pasture animals. We didn’t want to bring on pigs if they would destroy the pasture and forest for other animals. Everything on our farm has a role. The AMBA highlights that Meishans possess a uniquely large digestive tract, allowing them to process high-fiber roughage that other pigs cannot. This makes them a true "cow-pig" (my own terminology, haha)—a pasture-friendly grazer that prefers eating grass over rooting up the soil. Why they do root, it is not nearly to the extent of other hog breeds. Their efficiency on forage allows them to thrive in regenerative and rotational systems, while keeping supplemental feed costs lower than commercial meat hogs.
AMBA Podcast: Feeding the Meishan
Article: Forage Consumption and Its Effects on Pig Performance – PMC/National Institutes of Health
4. High Prolificacy & Good Mothers
Being an animal we brought on for meat, a good return on investment is important, but also so is maximizing resources. Meishan sows are made for huge litters, frequently farrowing 14+ piglets after their first litter.. Fewer breeding sows are required to produce the same volume of meat as larger herds of other breeds, significantly lowering your overhead. Additionally, being able to breed one sow for a multitude of babies, works better for our small scale than having multiple breeding pairs each with separate pens. The sows are excellent mothers, which allows us to step back and watch God’s design in action.
AMBA Website: The Prolific Meishan
Article:Genetic basis of prolificacy in Meishan pigs - PubMed
Article:Reproductive Facts of Chinese Meishan Pigs - USDA ARS
5. Being involved in a conservation effort
The Meishan is still on the rise, with no defined breed standard (due to the 3 genetic lines - which will be touched on in another post but can also be read about HERE). In 2018 The Livestock Conservancy estimated that less than 2,000 verifiably pure Meishans were left in the world. This led to the classification of the Meishan Breed as "Critically Endangered". The American Meishan Breeders Association(AMBA) leads the conservation effort, and is the source of many facts regarding the Meishan pig. Getting involved in the nitty gritty of breed preservation but also the documentation involved intrigues me. I am already gathering and compiling data for our own pigs that I will one day share, and also hope to expand on with data from others, so that more information can be widely known about this amazing animal.
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To learn more about the Meishan Pig, please visit our webpage!
Our first litter. Born March 22, 2026 to Nigiri and Mushu.
Nigiri exploring puddles after the rain.