Meishan

Poland China

This file reproduces official breed guidelines verbatim for research. No original standard is authored here.

The Poland China originated in the Miami Valley of Ohio. Certified Pedigreed Swine (CPS) is the official US registry.

Sources

  1. Certified Pedigreed Swine. Breed Guidelines — Breed Classifications. Effective September 20, 2021. https://cpsswine.com/breeds/poland-china/ (retrieved 19 August 2026).
  2. Certified Pedigreed Swine. Poland China Color Requirements. PDF dated 17 August 2023: https://cpsswine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/polandcolorrequirements_81723.pdf (retrieved 19 August 2026).

1. Certified Pedigreed Swine — Breed Guidelines

Breed Classifications – Effective September 20, 2021

Must possess Poland China Breed characteristics.

Must be ear notched within 7 days of birth.

Must be black with six white points (face, feet and switch). **Tail docking is permissible.

**An occasional splash of white on the body is permissible.

**A hog may not possess more than one (1) solid black leg and be determined as a Poland China.

Must have ears down

Must not have evidence of a belt formation of either white or white skin encircling and touching the points of the shoulder extending down on both sides of animal to the depth of the elbow pocket.

Cannot have red or sandy hair/and or pigment.

Hogs that have weighed ear tags or evidence of tampering of ears with possible ear tags are ineligible.

All boars and gilts must have six (6) functional teats on each side for exhibition.

All Poland sires and dams used to record a litter must have a DNA card on file to record a litter.

For national shows, all entries must be stress identified and must be either stress negative or stress carriers. NO stress positives are allowed to be shown or sold.

Questions, call the Certified Pedigreed Swine office at (309) 691-0151.

2. Poland China Color Requirements (CPS PDF, 17 August 2023)

IDEAL

  1. Predominantly black possessing Poland China breed character.
  2. A Poland China should have six white points: nose, each leg/foot and at the end of the tail (unless tail is docked).
  3. Ears are down when hog is in a relaxed position.

ACCEPTABLE

  1. A slight continuation of white from the legs to the body
  2. Ear may have white on it.
  3. Three of the four legs must be white.
  4. Hair and skin texture can vary from coarse to thin, and color can vary from dark black to ashy/pale.
  5. Ear deformity/ear folded in a backwards position towards hog’s body (crinkled ear).

ABSOLUTE DISQUALIFICATIONS

  1. Erect ears
  2. Solid white or solid black face
  3. More than one solid black leg
  4. If the white on a solid white ear goes past the base of the ear
  5. An excessive continuation of white from the legs, encompassing the upper hip or shoulder
  6. Excessive freestanding white, not attached to a leg
  7. Evidence of belt formation
  8. Red or sandy hair
  9. Any evidence of physical tampering that would alter breed characteristics.
  10. Ringneck -white totally encircling the neck

The CPS breed page lists disqualification 10 as: “A white ring formation on the neck that can not touch the middle of the spine.”