American Guinea Hogs, also known as Guinea Forest Hogs, are unique to North America.  They originally came from West Africa, adapting and cross breeding with the Appalachian English pigs over the last 200-300 years to create an American original.  Weighing in from 150-250 pounds, they are a smaller breed of pigs.  Their docile nature makes them a great fit for the small homesteading farm.  Able to forage for much of their diet - including snakes, nuts, rodents, grass and roots - they are quite easy on the caretaker.

       They look like little black bears with their hairy black coat, upright ears and curly tail.  Usually they are black, but sometimes have other features such as reddish tinting, white socks, and even sometimes white or grey on the body.

       American Livestock Breeds Conservancy (ALBC) classifies Guinea Hogs as critical on the Conservation Priority List.  The American Guinea Hog Association was formed to preserve this rare breed for future generations of farmers and ranchers wanting a smaller pig to produce pork for the family on small farms and homesteads.  This effort is working!  Once common only on homesteads in the southeastern U.S., American Guinea hogs are now found on small farms and large ranches throughout the United States.