There is one last breed I want everyone to know about because it affects consumers the most. The Berkshire pig is a rare breed of domestic pig originating from the Berkshire county of United Kingdom. Berkshire Swine Production and Marketing “Berkshire Niche Market Opportunity Guidelines” (PN03-05B) ... Because of the excellent muscle quality of Berkshire pigs, ... Litter Size (LS) The average of all parities for purebred Berkshire sows will range between 5 to 14 pigs born “Personally, I don’t like huge litters,” she says. Berkshire litters tend to be a little smaller than some of the commercial crossbreds, but Miller says she averages eight to 10 piglets per litter, though she has had some sows farrow as many as 16. By Abigail Wehrbein. As the pork industry strives to increase productivity in the form of more total pigs born, more attention must be focused on saving more quality pigs, emphasizes Tom Gillespie, DVM, Rensselaer (IN) Swine Services. Breeds of Swine: Berkshire. Although herds of the Berkshire pigs are sill maintained by the Rare Breeds Survival Trust in England at Aldenham Country Park, Hertfordshire. It is a docile breed that is easily managed. A medium sized breed, sows weigh around 220kg and boars 280kg. But as liveborn pig numbers increase, stillborn rates tend to follow, as do other pig loss Currently it is listed as vulnerable, and as of 2008, fewer than 300 breeding sows were known to exist. The average litter size for the Berkshire is 9.98 piglets (2009 data) and the breed is known for having good maternal instincts. As average litter size continues to rise, extra effort must be focused on saving the best pigs. The Berkshire breed hasn’t been around for as long as the others but with it’s muscle characteristics, it’s sure to be a very popular breed in the future. The Berkshire is a compact, short legged breed with a dished face, medium length snout and prick ears.