Meishan

Hampshire

This file reproduces official breed standards / eligibility requirements verbatim for research. No original standard is authored here.

The Hampshire as known in the United States developed from belted pigs imported from Hampshire County, England. The Hampshire Swine Registry, administered by the National Swine Registry, is the official US breed registry. The British Pig Association maintains the official UK herd book.

Sources

  1. National Swine Registry / Hampshire Swine Registry. Hampshire Eligibility Requirements. Updated by the board of directors of the Hampshire Swine Registry, March 2016. https://nationalswine.com/pedigree/breed-eligibility.php and NSR breeds flyer https://nationalswine.com/events/downloads/docs/nsr_breeds_flyer.pdf (retrieved 19 August 2026).
  2. British Pig Association. Breed Standard and Standards of Excellence — Hampshire. Updated Autumn 2013. Official PDF: https://www.britishpigs.org.uk/documents/bpa-standards-of-excellence-hampshire.pdf (retrieved 19 August 2026). Index page: https://www.britishpigs.org.uk/breed-standards.

1. Hampshire Swine Registry — Eligibility Requirements

Updated by the board of directors of the Hampshire Swine Registry – March, 2016

  1. Hampshire barrows or gilts exhibited as market animals:
    1. Must be black in color with a white belt starting on the front leg. The belt may partially or totally encircle the body. Animal is eligible if it has a black head and the body is totally white.
    2. Must possess Hampshire breed character (ears must be erect and not rounded).
    3. Must be ear notched within seven days of birth.
    4. Must NOT have any white hair or indications of streaking on the forehead.
    5. Must NOT have any red hair.
    6. Must NOT have any evidence of an extra dewclaw.
    7. Must be stress negative.
    8. There are no underline requirements to exhibit Hampshire barrows or gilts as market animals.
  2. Hampshire boars and gilts intended for breeding:
    1. Must meet the above requirements (except item 1.a.), along with the following to be eligible for recording and exhibition in a breeding animal class:
      1. Black in color with a white belt totally encircling the body, including both front legs and feet.
      2. Animal can have white on its nose as long as the white does not break the rim of the nose, and when its mouth is closed, the white under the chin can NOT exceed what a U.S. minted quarter will cover.
      3. White is allowed on the rear legs as long as it does NOT extend above the tuber calis bone (knob of the hock).
      4. Hampshire swine classified as off-belts may be used for breeding purposes, with offspring eligible for registration with the NSR. Off-belts will continue to be eligible to be shown in market hog classes, but will not be eligible for exhibition in breeding swine shows. This policy is retroactive and will allow litters to be registered that were not eligible previously, due to the Hampshire Swine Registry off-belt requirements.
      5. Hampshire breeding animals may be recorded with less than 12 teats. However, to be exhibited at breeding stock shows, Hampshires must possess six or more functional teats on each side of the underline. Pin teats and inverted nipples are not considered functional.

NSR “Ideal Hampshire Features” (from the NSR breeds flyer):

  1. Wide forehead and good width between eyes
  2. Upright ears
  3. Long neck
  4. Slope and cushion to pasterns with even toes and a large foot (front and rear)
  5. Long, lean, semi-level top line
  6. Wide chest floor with uniform width from front to rear. Forerib with more width at bottom of rib than at the point of shoulder.
  7. At least 12 evenly spaced, prominent teats (six on a side minimum; three in front of sheath on boars.)
  8. Long, level rump with a high tail
  9. Length, depth and natural width of ham. Muscle appropriate to the width of skeleton.

2. British Pig Association — Breed Standard and Standards of Excellence

HAMPSHIRE

Updated Autumn 2013

Section A - To be eligible for Herd Book entry a pig must (except in exceptional circumstances) be: - bred in the United Kingdom or the Republic of Ireland - have at least 12 sound teats - ear-marked and birth recorded with the BPA in accordance with current regulations - the offspring of parents already registered either in the Herd Book of the same breed (or in a supplementary register of the Herd Book maintained at BPA’s discretion) - Free from congenital defects (e.g. Umbilical and Scrotal Hernias , Atresia Ani (blind anus), cryptorchid boars, extra cleys, twisted, overshot or undershot jaw and rose on the back) - conform to any other such regulations as are made by the BPA Council from time to time

In exceptional circumstances a pig which does not fulfil all the criteria above may be accepted for herdbook registration following an inspection.

Breed Specific Requirements for Herdbook Registration

Ears Erect or slightly inclined forward. Colour Predominantly black, but must have a saddle of white skin and have white front legs.

Breed Specific Disqualifications which make the pig ineligible for Herdbook Registration

              Ginger coat or skin

Section B – Standard of Excellence – These are recommendations only - breeders should try to achieve these standards in their breeding programmes. Pigs will be judged against these standards of excellence at BPA shows.

GENERAL The Hampshire breeding animal should give the overall impression of scope, and breeders should be looking for large, strong-boned animals as the prime purpose of the Hampshire in the United Kingdom and elsewhere is to produce boars to act as terminal sires.

Head Medium size head, wide between the eyes and ears. Boars to show masculine characteristics. Sows to show feminine characteristics. Jowl Clean as possible. Chest Wide between front legs giving plenty of heart room. Shoulders Strong and clean avoiding apex top. Back & Loin Well sprung ribs. Smooth long muscle Flank Trim but well let down. Sides Deep particularly through heart. Avoid excessive length. Ham & Rump Wide, long front to rear. Deep from top to bottom. Smooth muscle. Tail set high. Feet & Legs Strong, flat bone, medium length. Straight, set well apart and on all four corners. Strong feet with short cleys of equal length. Avoid short legs. Pasterns short and springy. Underline Straight; at least twelve sound evenly spaced, well placed teats and starting well forward. Movement Should be loose in every way and no signs of tightness.

Breed Specific Objections – Breeders should try to avoid these in their breeding programmes

Ears Avoid too small ears.

Pigs must comply with Section A. Breeders should aspire to breed pigs which meet the Standards of Excellence in Section B. More information is available in the BPA leaflet – Pedigree Breeding the Next Steps.

British Pig Association, Trumpington Mews, 40b High Street, Trumpington, Cambridge, CB2 2LS Tel: 01223 845100 e-mail: [email protected] http://www.britishpigs.org Updated Autumn 2013