Saddleback Bloodlines

Each pedigree pig breed is divided into bloodlines or families. In the pedigree registration process, every gilt born carries her dam’s (mother’s) name and every boar his sire’s (father’s). Thus the female offspring of a mating between a Lottie sow and a Stockbroker boar will be called Lottie and the male offspring will be called Stockbroker. They are further identified by a prefix indicating in which herd they were bred and each one has a number suffix. Thus if Farmer Giles’s first litter of pigs is from a Pigfarm Lottie 56th by a Hoggish Stockbroker 7th and the litter consists of 6 gilts and 3 boars, they will be named as follows when registered:

Farmer Giles’s own herd prefix, by which all his pigs will be identified, is ‘Gilesown’
   Gilesown Lottie (number 1 is shown without a numerical suffix)
   Gilesown Lottie 2
   Gilesown Lottie 3
   Gilesown Lottie 4
   Gilesown Lottie 5
   Gilespwn Lottie 6
   Gilesown Stockbroker
   Gilesown Stockbroker 2
   Gilesown Stockbroker 3

His second litter is out of Berryfarm Ivy 10th by Hoggish Stockbroker 7th and consists of four gilts and five boars. They would be registered as follows:
   Gilesown Ivy
   Gilesown Ivy 2
   Gilesown Ivy 3
   Gilesown Ivy 4
   Gilesown Stockbroker 4
   Gilesown Stockbroker 5
   Gilesown Stockbroker 6
   Gilesown Stockbroker 7
   Gilesown Stockbroker 8

This is given as an example of how pedigree pigs are named. In reality, it is normal to be much more selective, especially with boars and only to register the very best examples for breeding.

Pigs are also identified with a unique code consisting of three letters (Herd Designation Letters specific to each herd) and numerals indicating which and how many pigs have been birth notified (the first stage in the registration process). Some herds register pigs in a different way with consecutive numbering so that in the above example, Gilesown Ivy would be Gilesown Ivy 10 (being the 10th pig born in that herd) and Gilesown Stockbroker would be Gilesown Stockbroker 7 by the same measure. Herds cannot switch between the two systems.

British Saddleback Bloodlines:
 

• Related: Saddleback Photograph Gallery
• Related: British Pig Association
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British Saddleback
Breeders' Club
Freepost (GL442)
Cirencester
Gloucestershire, GL7 5BR
UK

mail@saddlebacks.org.uk