[arborexplora]

Hi everyone,

One of our pedigree saddleback sows had a litter today and we now have 11 piglets all live and well  We also own the boar who is pedigree saddleback. The thing is some of the piglets have unusual markings and look almost like Old Spots. There is NO chance she was with a different boar, has anyone else experienced this?

Cheers Richard

[P6te]

I'm absolutely no expert on this whatsoever but I would question whether at some point in the past either the sow or boars pedigree isn't what its supposed to be and you are getting a throw back a few generations on??

Pete

[hughesy]

It is quite normal for some Saddlebacks in a litter to be mis- marked. It can vary a lot across a litter from perfect to all black, all white, or almost anything in between. Obviously any pig that doesn't have the correct pattern cannot be registered in the herd book but it won't affect the taste of the meat. Also bear in mind that the pig's markings are just part of what constitutes the breed standard and there are other things to be taken into account as well.

[arborexplora]

Pete

I would absolutely agree. I shall not name the breeder of the sow (which I didn't buy direct from) but I understand they do have a large herd of Saddlebacks and Oxford Sandy & Blacks.

Richard

[hughesy]

Just to add. We had a litter last August that are now going for meat. Out of the 9 live piglets there were only two that I definitely would have registered, and another two that technically would have qualified for the herdbook but their markings weren't particularly good. The others were all marked wrongly including a totally white one with a black head and a totally black one. We've just had a litter this week that at first glance all look like saddlebacks but markings wise some are better than others and as time goes on and we get a better look at them it may be that none of them are particularly great. We don't show our pigs we raise them for meat so it doesn't really matter but it might if we wanted to sell a pig to someone who wanted it registered or if we were to keep one of the gilts to add to our herd.

[P6te]

Hi Richard,

That sounds about right to me. We have had 2 lots of weaners (that we bought in) that were Saddleback (sow) crossed with an OSB (boar) and every piglet in the litter without exception would have passed as a Saddleback. Obviously they all went for meat but had we kept and bred from one using a Saddleback boar I'll bet at some point we would have had weaners like yours.

Here is a photo of them at a few weeks and they ARE an OSB cross!

[arborexplora]

Hi Hughsey

Thanks for the reply. They are at my parents place so I will get a good look at them tomorrow but I agree with what you are saying. I know already without seeing them in person that at least 6 will not be suitable to register on markings alone yet alone other breed characteristics. Not disappointed at all because I am told all appear healthy and they are being reared for the table anyway, but it would be nice to register a couple to sell on for breeding and initiate our own registered herd. We have joined the BPA but are awaiting the pedigree transfers.

Richard 

[Mr Pig]

I'm sorry to cast doubt but that is not a pedigree Saddleback litter and none of the offspring - even those with seemingly correct markings - should be registered pedigree. I would also not try and breed pedigree from the sow again either if it is her pedigree which is dubious.
 
I strongly suggest that you contact the BPA Saddleback Breed representative (contact details on the BPA website) and complain that a pig sold as registered is throwing these pigs and ask if they will do a DNA test with a view to raising a case through Trading Standards on the breeder who needs to be stopped. The Herd Book is a precious thing and must be protected for future generations.

[P6te]

I agree it would be wrong to register any of the piglets as pedigree.  The only question is are we sure its the sow and not the boar she was with?? Richard has stated that the breeder also has OSB's.

It may be as I suggested a throwback, but alternatively could it be that an OSB boar is in fact the father?

Pete

[arborexplora]

The chap we bought the herd off is not the breeder of this sow but bought her 'in pig' along with another 'in pig' sow and an unrelated boar a couple of years ago. When she had her first litter with him there was some unusual markings. He contacted the breeder who runs courses and has OSB and Saddlebacks to discuss and was told it was a ancient throwback.

The boar of this litter is definitely not an OSB he is a Saddleback and we have him.

[rispainfarm]

Loking at the pictures I strongly have my doubts that these piglets look like this due to mismarkings. So I would take Mr pigs advice, very naughty of the breeder if somewhere along the line they have been mixed with something else then sold as pedigree.