Rare Meishan pigs call the Roaring Fork Valley home

The Meishan pig, one of the world’s oldest domesticated breeds and critically endangered, has found a true home in the Roaring Fork Valley. 

Meishan pig breeder Nick Costello began working with the breed eight years ago alongside Aaron VanCamp in Avondale through the Colorado Care and Share Program. This farm-to-table initiative started in southeastern Colorado, where Costello later expanded the practice to Aspen. 

Costello’s operation, now based in Basalt, focuses on conserving the breed while providing its prized meat to niche markets. 

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“We are one of the few American Meishan breeders in the country,” Costello said. “They are the most docile out of any pigs, with the highest litter size — we just had a litter of 16.”

Originally from the Taihu region of China, this ancient breed is celebrated for its prolific reproductive traits, adaptability, and exceptional meat quality. As of 2018, however, the Livestock Conservancy classified the Meishan as “critically endangered,” with fewer than 2,000 breeding animals remaining worldwide. The breed’s decline stems from the global preference for faster-growing, leaner pigs that dominate commercial farming.

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Meishan pigs were first introduced to the United States in 1989 through a collaborative research effort between the United States Department of Agriculture, the University of Illinois, and Iowa State University. Of the 144 pigs imported from China, 99 were Meishans, divided equally among the institutions. 

These pigs were initially studied for their unique genetic traits, such as prolific litter sizes and high embryo survival rates. By 2016, U.S. research facilities dispersed their Meishan droves to private breeders, transitioning the breed into the hands of conservationists and farmers. This move aimed to promote genetic diversity and prevent inbreeding, ensuring the breed’s long-term viability in North America. 

The conservation of Meishan pigs gained urgency after African Swine Flu decimated the population in China, further threatening the breed’s survival. 

“Luckily, when the flu hit, we already had these pigs in the United States, and there have been zero cases of African Swine Flu in this population,” Costello said. “The last farms in China that have the pure breed Meishan pigs as we have here, the Chinese Livestock Conservancy built a 30-mile barrier around the last farms that had the pigs.”

He highlighted the delicate balance between preserving the breed and using it for consumption. 

“The only way to preserve a bloodline is to create awareness for them by having other farmers breed the pigs,” he explained. “It does sound callous, and it does sound wrong that we are doing this for consumption purposes, but to preserve the bloodline, the only way people are going to breed these pigs is by making sure people want to have them.”

In the Roaring Fork Valley, Meishan pigs are treated to a unique diet that reflects their luxurious, and sometimes spoiled, lifestyle. 

“These pigs live the best life. We fed them two pallets of Enstrom’s Toffee the other week,” Costello said. The toffee was procured through a deal between Costello and Doug and Jimbo Simons (whose family owns Enstrom’s Toffee) with whom Costello has had a lifelong friendship.

He has also collaborated with local officials and lobbyists to secure other high-quality, organic foods for the animals. 

“We are getting food that is fully organic and top-notch. If there is a scratch on an apple or some strawberries are not the right shape, we can get it for the pigs,” he explained.

Meishan pork is in high demand for its rich, fatty meat, appealing to chefs and consumers who value traditional and flavorful products. 

“The meat is very special because it is a red-meat pork that has a higher marbling content and is said to be the equivalent of A-5 Kobe beef,” Costello said. “The majority of the pork we produce is already spoken for, as it is in such high demand, but there will be some new litters that will be available for purchase soon.”

For more information or to purchase Meishan pork, he can be reached at aspenmeishan@gmail.com.