Breed · Pig breed
Landrace
Sus scrofa domesticus
The Landrace is a white, lop-eared pig breed developed originally in Denmark for bacon and now maintained as national strains worldwide. It is a leading maternal line valued for length, prolificacy, and mothering ability.
Record
Livestock breed- Breed of
- Pigs
- Species
- Pig (Sus scrofa domesticus)
- Type
- Bacon
- Origin
- Denmark
- Recognition
- Registered
- Conservation status
- Not at riskReported per source and date (e.g. FAO DAD-IS); not a fixed property of the breed.
- Registries
- FAO DAD-IS · Global · as of 2026-07-12Breed recorded in the global inventory of livestock breeds; maintained as multiple national strains.
- Adaptation
- Widely adapted and kept mainly in housed and semi-intensive systems across many climates; white skin can be sun-sensitive in intense outdoor conditions.
- Primary uses
- Maternal (dam) line in commercial crossbreeding, Bacon and pork production
Registry listing or variety protection is jurisdiction- and date-specific and does not by itself indicate current commercial availability, universal cultivation approval, patent status, or a recommendation.
The Landrace pig was developed in Denmark in the early twentieth century, initially for bacon production, and was subsequently developed into distinct national strains — Danish, British, American, Dutch, and others. It is one of the two dominant maternal breeds in commercial pig production, alongside the Large White.
The breed is recognised by its white coat, characteristic large forward-drooping (lop) ears, and a notably long body. It is important to distinguish this specific white herd-book breed from the general term "landrace", which refers to any locally adapted traditional livestock population.
Origin and role
Originating with the Danish Landrace and its bacon industry, the breed was exported and adapted into national Landrace populations around the world. Like the Large White, it is central to hybrid dam lines, and the two are frequently crossed to combine their maternal strengths.
Physical characteristics
- White-skinned with a fine white coat and a very long, deep body.
- Large forward-drooping (lop) ears that partly cover the face.
- Length historically favoured for bacon-style carcasses.
Production characteristics
The Landrace is valued for maternal performance — large litters, good milk and mothering ability — and for carcass length and leanness suited to bacon. These traits make it, with the Large White, a mainstay of commercial maternal lines.
Relationships
Evidence-backed connections in the knowledge graph.
Adapted to climate
Farming systems
Scope & limitations
Geographic scope: Global; a Danish-origin breed maintained as national strains worldwide. Husbandry and regulation vary by country.
Climate context: Broadly adapted, mainly housed or semi-intensive; sun-sensitive skin warrants shade outdoors.
- This is a breed characterisation, not husbandry, breeding, or veterinary guidance.
- The breed name "Landrace" denotes this specific white lop-eared herd-book breed and should not be confused with the general term for locally adapted populations.
- Performance figures are highly strain- and management-dependent and are described only qualitatively here; FAO DAD-IS conservation status is assessed per national population.
Sources
This article draws on the following authoritative sources. See our sources & methodology for how they are selected.
- [1]DAD-IS — Domestic Animal Diversity Information System (opens in a new tab)Authoritative
FAO Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture
Cited for: Breed record and characterisation in the global inventory
- Type:
- Official registry
- Jurisdiction:
- Global
- Accessed:
- 2026-07-12
- Moderate
Cited for: General background on the Landrace pig
- Type:
- Reference database
- Jurisdiction:
- Global
- Accessed:
- 2026-07-12