Mission

Heritage Purebreed Red Wattles or HPRW exists to protect and promote Red Wattle hogs, a threatened heritage breed of swine that only exists in North America. Our goal is to form a registry and alliance of hogs and breeders that strive to keep Red Wattles as a natural and nature created heritage hog and to increase their population thru promotion and education to our membership and the public at large.

History

Revitalizing Red Wattle Hogs For Future Generations

The history of Red Wattles is vague but there are newspaper articles as far back as the mid 1800’s that mention and describe them, very much like we find them today. They were known then as a particular breed set apart from others so that tells us they developed perhaps many years prior to the mid 1800’s into what was then and now known as Red Wattle.
They’re not found anywhere in the world except North America. It’s currently believed that wattled hogs were possibly brought to this country through the gulf states and they bred with hogs already here maybe a few centuries ago. Early explorers typically brought livestock with them for food supplies during the voyage and for settlements in the New World. Sometimes a few would escape into the wilds and breed, quite possibly creating what is now Red Wattle. It’s a possibility that’s why their population was more dense in the southern states, but they migrated as well and could be found across the country.

Red Wattle Description

Red Wattles are named for their red hair coat and the distinctive wattles that swing from their jowls. They come in a variety of shades of red, from light strawberry blond to a deep dark cherry red, almost black. The hair is always a consistent color throughout however there can be dark or black patches of skin pigment on or around the underlines. They’re currently on the Threatened list with The Livestock Conservancy, (TLC).

They’re known as foragers and grazers and do well in most climates. They’re excellent mothers typically producing litters from 7 to 12 with a generous supply of milk. Their gentle nature proves to be a good choice for the small scale or independent producer. They’re capable of reaching 800 to 900 lbs. or more as full grown adults.