Tamworth pigs

The Tamworth breed is where it all started for Paddock Farm. We set out, back in 2008 to produce pork that tastes and looks amazing, and which makes best use of truly British pigs in an environmentally conscious manner. Our whole farming system and business has evolved from this simple ambition.

We’re now developing innovative techniques for increasing the forage component of our pigs diet, reducing our need for bought in compound feeds whilst benefitting our soils. We’re transferring techniques from mob grazing cattle to rotate our sows every 48 hours across a herbal lay. It’s great for the pigs, it’s great for the soil, and it’s allowing us to reduce our sows' requirements for compound feed by more than 50%.

All of our pigs are pure-bred Tamworth; one of the oldest pig breeds in the world and a close match to the old English forest pig. It’s a direct descendent of the European wild boar and still holds on to many of its characteristics, such as the long snout and prick ears.

Unlike many other British breeds the Tamworth avoided much of the cross breeding with Asian pigs that occurred several hundred years ago. As a result, Tamworth genetics are found to be far removed from all other breeds in the UK, such as Middle White, Gloucester Old Spot and Saddleback – a fact underlying its unique eating quality and depth of flavour.

It is a hardy, slow growing breed, which excels outdoors on our Warwickshire free-range farm. Most importantly for us the pork from Tamworth pigs is second-to-none, and raising Tamworth pigs for meat is the best way to safeguard the rare breed’s future.