Danish Protest Pig Facts, Weight, Height, Origin, History

Danish Protest Pigs are a rare domestic pig breed. It reflects the color scheme of the Danish flag because of its red color, wide white vertical belt, and a tracing of a white horizontal belt. It started at the beginning of the 20th century in Northern Frisia, south of Schleswig, when Danes living in this area could not raise the Danish flag, but instead kept and showed the Protest Pig, allowing it a representation of their cultural identity.

They can weigh up to 360kgs. They were presumably generated from the Holstein and Jutland marsh pigs, the Tamworth pig from England, and the Angeln Saddleback red variants. They were recognized as a distinct breed in 1954, but the race was declared extinct after the last birth in 1968.

Danish Protest Pig Facts

The Danish Protest pig ranges in size from medium to large. This is mostly red, with a wide white vertical band and a tiny portion of a white horizontal stripe. A standard Danish pig's height is approximately 92 cm. The average weight of the fully grown boar is about 320-360kg. 

The weight of the fully grown sows in living conditions is about 300 kg on average. The Danish protest pig is energetic and very resilient, as is the case of most European pig breeds. The breed is now scarce, and the German federal state of Schleswig-Holstein promotes its preservation because of its cultural significance. 

Danish Protest Pig Weight & Height

The average height of a Danish pig is around 92 cm. The fully grown boar weighs between 320 to 360 kg. The average weight of fully grown sows in living conditions is around 300 kg.

Danish Protest Pig Origin & History

Danish Protest Pigs are a relatively rare domestic pig breed. Because of its red color, broad white vertical belt, and tracing of a white horizontal belt, it resembles the color scheme of the Danish flag. 

It began in the early twentieth century in Northern Frisia, south of Schleswig, when Danes living in the area were unable to raise the Danish flag, so they maintained and displayed the Protest Pig as a symbol of their cultural identity.

They were obtained from Holstein and Jutland marsh pigs, the Tamworth pig from England, and Angeln Saddleback red variants, according to the researchers. They were recognized as a separate breed in 1954, but after the last birth in 1968, the race was declared extinct.