It looks just like a sheep with its thick, hairy coat, but in fact it is a pig.

This is the Mangalitza and two are being brought to the Royal Smithfield Christmas Fair by the pig industry's official breed society, the British Pig Association. The BPA will be showing the breed to the visitors and exhibitors coming to the Show on December 5th and 6th at the Bath and West Showground, Shepton Mallet, sponsored by Merial.

The Mangalitza, a breed similar to the Lincolnshire curly coat which is now extinct, has recently been introduced to this country, with the importation of breeding stock from the Continent and the breed is growing steadily.

The Mangalitzas will be on show alongside other pedigree breeds represented by the official society, such as the Berkshire, British Landrace, British Saddleback, Duroc, Gloucestershire Old Spot, Hampshire, Large Black, Large White, Middle White, Oxford Sandy, Oxford Black, Pietrain and Tamworth.

"In winter the coat of the Mangalitza gets very hairy and thick, almost wool-like" says Marcus Bates, Chief Executive of the BPA.

"We are looking forward to showing them and we hope they will be quite an attraction." The two Mangalitzas coming to the show are youngsters, born this year and being shown by Helen Royle, one of only eleven registered breeders in the UK.

"The idea is to have most of the fourteen breeds we represent on show, so that butchers and other farmers can see what is available," said Mr Bates. "We will be offering advice on how they can introduce pedigree pigs into their businesses."

In addition to their display of pigs, the BPA will also be staging its second National Sausage Competition. This competition will be the culmination of countrywide regional heats held at the East of England Christmas Show, the Welsh Winter Fair, the English Winter Fair, the BBC Good Food Shows in London and Glasgow and the Royal Smithfield Christmas Fair itself.

There will be two classes - the Breakfast Sausage and the Speciality Sausage. A total of 24 sausages comprising the Champion and Reserve Champion from each heat and each class will be judged in the National Final on the second day of the Show.

The competition is open to the BPA's 1,500 members and their sausage makers. Certified pedigree pork must be used in all sausages entered in the competition.

The British Pig Association was founded in 1884, and maintains records of mainly traditional native breeds, the majority of breeds having less than 500 sows.

One of the aims of the Association is to maintain and encourage an increase in the number of registered breeding pigs.

4:56pm Friday 14th November 2008

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