How a British farm animal became the prized wagyu of the pork world

Nature · Published 3 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: The Berkshire pig, once a large, tawny creature, underwent a radical transformation to become the sleek, black animal we recognize today. Now celebrated for its exceptional flavor, this breed has traveled from English pastures to global fame, even earning a reputation as the premium wagyu equivalent of the pork industry.

Originating in the English county of Berkshire, this breed looked quite different until the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. Originally, these pigs were large, lop-eared, and tawny-colored with dark spots. Their modern appearance—black with six distinct white markings on the snout, tail, and feet—is the result of cross-breeding with small black pigs brought in from Asia. Today, these medium-sized animals are known for their prick ears and substantial build, with adult boars reaching approximately 280 kg and sows around 220 kg.

The breed's international journey began in the early 1800s when it was first introduced to the United States. By 1875, the American Berkshire Association formed as the world's first pig breed society, famously registering a boar named Ace of Spades, which was reportedly bred by Queen Victoria. While the breed faced a decline in its native United Kingdom, eventually being listed as vulnerable in 2008 with fewer than 300 breeding sows, it found a new lease on life through global demand.

Japan has played a pivotal role in the breed's resurgence. Since their arrival in the 1860s, Berkshire pigs have thrived there, with populations exceeding 330,000 by 2007. A specific Japanese variant, the Kagoshima Berkshire, is now considered a distinct breed and is marketed as Kurobuta pork. This meat commands a premium price, a success that has helped revive interest in the breed worldwide. Interestingly, while standard meat science suggests high pH levels correlate with better consumer satisfaction, Berkshire pork consistently earns high marks in taste tests despite its relatively low pH.

Today, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations reports that twenty-three countries across Oceania, the Americas, Asia, and continental Europe maintain the breed. In England, conservation efforts continue through organizations like the Rare Breeds Survival Trust, which maintains herds at locations such as Kent's South of England Rare Breeds Centre and Hertfordshire's Aldenham Country Park.

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