The American Yorkshire, a breed of domestic pig, is the American version of the English Yorkshire. The American Yorkshire has smaller and more floppy ears when compared to the English Yorkshire’s large, erect ears. American Yorkshires are the most recorded swine breed farmed for its meat in the United States.
The breed was developed in Yorkshire, England, circa 1761. In 1830, the first Yorkshires were imported to the United States, specifically to Ohio, but because of their slow growth rate, they did not become popular until the late 1940s. At that time, many large pigs were imported from Canada and England for their ruggedness and favoured carcasses. The breed then improved rapidly through selection.
Today, the American Yorkshire pig is found in nearly every American state, with the highest populations in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Nebraska, and Ohio. The modern Yorkshire is muscular with a high proportion of lean meat. The American Yorkshire data has been maintained with great diligence, including growth, sow productivity, and backfat formation, representing the largest source of documented livestock performance records in the world. The American Yorkshire can grow as big as 6.5 feet in length, but rarely longer.