Emola Farm sells Duroc pigs at our farm in Mabank, Texas. Durocs are the red pigs, and they are the breed to buy when you want weight on an animal quickly without giving up meat quality. Call 903-880-0124 for current availability.
How to Recognize a Duroc
Durocs are solid red, ranging from a light golden shade through to a deep mahogany. They have drooping ears — a useful field marker, since the other major breeds we carry all have erect ears. They are typically large framed and heavily muscled.
The breed is American, developed in the northeastern United States in the 1800s, and today it is one of the most widely used breeds in commercial hog production anywhere.
Why Durocs Are So Widely Used
- Growth rate. Durocs are among the fastest growing hog breeds. If you have a date to hit, that matters.
- Feed efficiency. They convert feed well, which shows up directly in what it costs you to finish the animal.
- Muscling. Heavy muscled with good carcass yield.
- Marbling. This is the part people miss. Durocs carry more intramuscular fat than most fast-growing breeds, which means you get growth rate without the eating quality falling off the way it does with leaner breeds.
- Hardiness. Durocs handle weather and rough conditions well, which counts for something on a Texas place.
That combination — fast growth plus decent marbling — is why the Duroc is used as a terminal sire across the commercial industry more than any other breed. A large share of the crossbred pigs raised in this country have Duroc somewhere behind them.
Duroc vs. Berkshire: The Question We Get Most
These are the two breeds buyers most often ask us to compare, and the answer depends entirely on what you are optimizing for.
| Duroc | Berkshire | |
|---|---|---|
| Growth rate | Faster | Slower |
| Marbling | Good | Excellent |
| Carcass yield | Heavier muscled | Moderate |
| Heat in a Texas summer | Red — still needs shade | Black — needs shade badly |
| Best for | Getting to weight efficiently | The best-eating pork |
If you want one pig in the freezer and you care most about how it eats, buy a Berkshire. If you want the most pork for your feed bill on a schedule, buy a Duroc. Neither answer is wrong.
Raising Durocs
Durocs are generally docile and easy to handle, which makes them a workable choice for a family project or a first pig.
They grow fast, and that has a practical consequence people underestimate: build the pen for the pig you will have in four months, not the one you are bringing home today. Hog panels or heavy woven wire, anchored at the bottom. Pigs go under fences.
Shade and water are still essential. Red pigs handle sun better than black ones, but no pig sweats, and a Texas summer is hard on all of them.
If you need a pen, gates, or fencing built before your animals arrive, we do fencing, custom gates, and welding.
How We Sell Durocs
- Duroc feeder pigs — weaned and started, ready to grow out. The most common request.
- Duroc piglets — younger animals for buyers starting small.
- Duroc breeding stock — gilts, sows, and boars when available. Duroc boars are a common choice as a terminal sire over crossbred females.
We handle domestic breeds only. We do not buy or sell wild hogs.
Where We Are
Emola Farm, 759 VZ CR 2704, Mabank, Texas 75147 — near Cedar Creek Lake in Van Zandt County, an easy drive from Athens, Canton, Kaufman, Terrell, Gun Barrel City, Corsicana, Tyler, and the Dallas–Fort Worth area.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you have Duroc pigs right now?
Availability changes weekly. Call 903-880-0124 and we will tell you what is on the farm and send you a photo.
What does a Duroc pig cost?
Price depends on size, age, and whether the animal is a feeder pig or breeding stock. We quote current prices by phone.
Are Durocs good for beginners?
Yes. They are hardy, generally easy to handle, and they grow well, which is a forgiving combination for someone raising their first pig.
Do Durocs make good show pigs?
They are shown regularly and do well. As with any show project, the individual animal and the timing relative to your show date matter more than the breed name.
Do you sell wild hogs?
No. Domestic breeds only.