On 'Pulling Pork' this week, we have one of the world’s rarest breeds, which was actually used by natives to display their pride in their country. Read about the Danish Protest pig below.

The Husum Red Pied or Danish Protest pig as it is more commonly known is one of the world’s rarest and most unique breeds.



They are a very rare domestic breed, originating in North Frisia in the Southern Schleswig in Germany. It is thought that they first appeared at the beginning of the 20th century. The pig became popular in Denmark when the Danish population living in that area were under Prussian rule. As a result, they were banned from raising the Danish flag or from even displaying it.



To combat this, the people instead used and displayed the Protest pig to showcase their pride. They did this as they pig resembles the Danish flag, due to its red and white colouring. It is not fully known how the breed actually came about, though it is thought that it was the result of crossing Holsteinian, English Tamworth pigs and Jutlandian marsh pigs. The breed was actually considered extinct in 1968, though the breed reemerged by 1984.



Breeding populations of the breed remain in existence in zoos in Germany, though there are only an estimated 140 pigs remaining in the world.



Characteristics -

As mentioned, the breed are best known for their Denmark-like colours. They are red in colour, with a white vertical belt and a white horizontal belt (See above picture).



At full maturity, males tend to weigh up to and over 350kgs, with females reaching up to 300kgs. The breed grow up to an average height of 92cms and was first officially recognized as a breed in 1954.



A breed representing an areas pride in their nation and brought to the country to portray a flag. Kept on due to its historical significance, the Danish Protest pig.