Prior to 2006, this pig was referred to as Guinea Hog, Guinea Forest Hog, or “yard pig.” In 2006 when the American Guinea Hog Association (AGHA) was formed, they changed the breed’s name to American Guinea Hog. It was known as the “poor man’s pig” and was raised on small farms in the Southeast. Typical American Guinea Hogs are solid black, but some can have white markings.

American Guinea Hogs are well-suited for raising in the forest or orchard, or on pastured land. Homestead owners can expect them to forage for much of their own food, including eating rodents, snakes, grass, roots, nuts, garden beds after harvest, orchard windfall fruit, and corn stalks. Breeders that raise milk animals may feed them excess milk or whey.

Guinea Hogs are hardy and efficient, gaining weight on the roughest of forage and producing the hams, bacon, and lard essential for subsistence farming. They grow fat when given grain, especially corn and soy.

The breed is known for its intelligence, easy trainability to fencing and boundaries, verbal commands, and routines.