The Large White derives from the old Large Yorkshire breed, a long-legged and heavy-boned pig from the county of
Yorkshire, in northern England. In the nineteenth century this was
crossed with pigs imported from China, giving rise to three distinct types or breeds: the
Small White showed the greatest Asian influence, small and fat with a markedly foreshortened snout; the
Middle White also showed some foreshortening of the face; the Large White was the least obviously influenced by the Chinese admixture. It may also have been influenced by the
Cumberland and
Leicestershire breeds. A pair of pigs of Large White type were shown at the
Royal Agricultural Show in
Windsor in 1851. The breed was recognised in 1868, and a
herd-book was started in 1884. The Large White has been exported to many countries of the world. The
American Yorkshire of North America derives from it. == Characteristics ==