Hanford^TM Miniature Swine

Background

• Domesticated miniature swine.
• Acquired the Hanford colony from Charles River Laboratories (CRL).

Origin

• Hanford Labs started developing the Hanford in 1958 in Richland, WA with two Palouse gilts and one Pittman-Moore boar. Later addition of more Pitman-Moore and Swamp hog from Louisiana to further reduce the size.
• Selection at 140 days old for fitness, skin and hair color, conformation, thickness of hair coat and demeanor.
• Battelle Memorial Institute acquired the herd in Mid-1960’s and introduced the Yucatan in the foundation stock.
• CRL assumed the breeding of the Hanford in 1982 at Wilmington, MA.
• CRL moved the colony to Pittsfield, NH in 1983.
• Sinclair acquired the Hanford herd in 2002 and moved the colony to Columbia, MO.
• The colony is closed and fully pedigreed.

Characteristics

• Purpose-bred, socialized, and vaccinated.
• Looks like traditional farm pigs.
• White skin and haircoat making them excellent for dermal studies.
• Lack of fat making the Hanford a good model for surgical studies.
• Heart size very similar to human with few collaterals making the Hanford an excellent cardiovascular model.
• Free from common domestic swine diseases; e.g. leptospirosis, brucellosis, pseudorabies, transmissible gastroenteritis, porcine reproductive respiratory syndrome, toxoplasmosis, etc.
• Well adapted to the laboratory environment and very useful when only limited space is available.

Additional Resources:

 Growth Charts

 Literature Sheet