Characteristics[edit]
An Ossabaw Island hog with a spotted coat
The breed characteristics of Ossabaw Island hogs in both phenotype and genotype have been shaped by the pressures of feral life in an island habitat. They are small swine, less than 20 inches (510 mm) tall and weighing less than 200 pounds (90 kg) at maturity.[2] This size is partly due to the phenomenon of insular dwarfism,[7] and individuals kept in off-island farms may grow slightly larger in successive generations. They are also hardy and very good foragers, making them useful in extensive farming (as opposed to intensive pig farming).[2]
Ossabaw hogs appear in a wide range of colors, with the most common being black and a spotted variety. Ossabaw piglets do not show the striping that wild boars do, and because of their isolation on the island they are not hybridized, as the razorback may be. They additionally have long snouts, upright ears, and a heavy coat of bristles compared to other pig breeds. Ossabaws are noted to be intelligent and friendly swine in terms of temperament.[2]
As a result of life on an island where the abundance and scarcity of food is seasonally variable, Ossabaw hogs store fat in a different manner than most domestic pigs and have a "thrifty gene". In conditions with constant supplies of food (such as on farms and in the laboratory) they accrue more fat than other pigs and may develop a "prediabetes" condition.[2] Because this trait makes them useful as a model organism, scientific studies on metabolic syndrome and Type II diabetes have been conducted on the Ossabaw hog.[8] Ossabaw hogs also have adapted to the high salt diets and minimal availability of fresh water on the island.[9]
The meat of Ossabaws is dark, with a unique texture,[4] and is prized for resembling the jamón ibérico of the black Iberian pig.[10] It is considered to be artisanal, heritage product especially well-suited to use in pork, cured meats,[11] and whole pig roasts.[4]