The Urzhum (Russian: Уpжумcкaя, Urzhumskaya) is a meat pig breed from Russia.
The breed was developed in Kirov region by crossing native pigs with Large White boars. It was recognized in 1957. It numbered 106 000 in 1960, 79 000 in 1964, and 100 000 in 1969. As of 1 January 1980 the breed’s total population was 107 300 including 39 900 purebreds of which 3 400 were breeding boars, 500 boars on the test, 7 300 breeding sows and 2 600 sows on the test.
The Urzhum is similar to the Large White in its conformation. It has a clean head with a long snout; heavy ears slightly tilted forward; long, deep but not widebody; strong legs; massive and coarse bone; dense bristles. Its colour is white.
The 1983 evaluation gave the following results: live weight of 36-month-old boars – 291 kg, body length – 179 cm, sow live weight – 245 kg, body length – 163 cm, litter size – 10.5, weight of month-old litter – 51 kg, weight of two-month-old litter – 161 kg. The results obtained at breeding centres were somewhat higher; bodyweight of 36-month-old boars – 322 kg, body length – 183 cm, sow live weight -267 kg, body length – 169 cm, litter size – 11.5, weight of month-old litter – 59 kg, weight of two-month-old litter – 191 kg.
The performance test gave the following results: time to gain 100 kg body weight – 206 days, feed/kg gain – 4.29 fodder units, backfat thickness – 31 mm, length of the carcass – 96 kg, ham weight – 11 kg.
In 1983 the breed’s champion was the sow Mushka 6444 owned by Mukhinski breeding centre in Kirov region, which gave the following figures: litter size -13.3, the weight of one-month-old litter – 70 kg, average daily gain of its offspring during the fattening performance test – 726 g, feed/kg gain – 3.56 fodder units, backfat thickness – 28 mm.
Urzhum animals are well adapted to local conditions as well as to the consumption of bulky succulent feeds. The Urzhum ranks second after the Landrace among 19 breeds in terms of digestibility of dry matter and protein. Its figure for digestibility of dry matter is 75.84%, protein – 80.16%; the Large White figure is 74.98% and 79.9% respectively.
The breed consists of 15 boar lines and 15 sow families.
The Urzhum breed is raised and improved at 2 breeding centres and 7 breeding farms. The breed is classified for raising and use in crossbreeding systems in Kirovsk, Kostroma and Moscow regions and the Mari, Udmurt and Tatar ASSRs. Selection is for an increased rate of growth and improved meat quality.