US #5583
2021 Mulefoot Hog – Heritage Breeds
- Pictures a mulefoot hog
- Part of the set which commemorates 10 different heritage breeds known for their versatility, adaptability, and unique genetics
Stamp Category: Commemorative
Set: Herita... more
US #5583
2021 Mulefoot Hog – Heritage Breeds
- Pictures a mulefoot hog
- Part of the set which commemorates 10 different heritage breeds known for their versatility, adaptability, and unique genetics
Stamp Category: Commemorative
Set: Heritage Breeds
Value: 55¢ First Class Mail Rate (Forever)
First Day of Issue: May 17, 2021
First Day City: Mount Vernon, Virginia
Quantity Issued: 25,000,000
Printed by: Banknote Corporation of America
Printing Method: Offset, Flexographic
Format: Panes of 20
Tagging: Phosphor, block tag
Why the stamp was issued: To recognize heritage breeds and their importance in horticulture over the years.
About the stamp designs: Pictures a photograph the heritage breed known as the mulefoot hog. Photograph by Aliza Elizarov.
First Day City: The First Day of Issue Ceremony was held in Mount Vernon, Virginia, home of Accokeek Foundation’s Heritage Breed Livestock Conservation Program within the National Colonial Farm at Piscataway Park. The program is home to a herd of milking Devon cows, one of the breeds pictured on the stamps.
About the Heritage Breeds set: These 10 stamps were issued to recognize heritage breeds and their importance to horticulture over the years. The breeds pictured include the mulefoot hog, Wyandotte chicken, milking Devon cow, Narragansett turkey, American mammoth jackstock donkey, cotton patch goose, San Clemente Island goat, American cream draft horse, Cayuga duck, and Barbados blackbelly sheep.
History the stamp represents: The mulefoot hog is a traditional American breed of hog named for its unusual hoof shape. Most pigs and hogs have cloven hooves with two toes. Mulefoot hogs have hooves, like a mule or horse, with a single toe.
Today, the mulefoot hog is the rarest breed of American swine that still exists. No one is quite sure where the breed originated, but it most likely originated from Spanish hogs brought to America in the 1500s. The mulefoot hog was bred through careful selection and became a standardized breed in 1900. It was a farmer-favorite for meat production as these hogs were easy to fatten.
In general, Mulefoot hogs all share the same characteristics. They weigh between 400 and 600 pounds, have forward-facing ears, and are solid black in color with occasional bits of white. Females are caring mothers and give birth to five to six piglets, though litters of up to 12 have been known to occur.
Mulefoot hogs eventually fell out of popularity with farmers, and now, are quite rare. However, they are making a comeback thanks to the efforts of dedicated breeders and heritage farmers across the United States. These men and women ensure breed standards remain intact. Thanks to them, the Mulefoot hog has stayed the same as when the breed began all those years ago.
Less 
