Göttingen minipig

Göttingen Minipig (also known as the Göttinger or Goettingen Minipig) is a breed of miniature swine developed specifically for use in biomedical research. The Göttingen Minipig is a member of the species Sus scrofa domestica along with other domesticated swine. The Göttingen Minipig is best known for its exceptionally small size and its very clean and well-characterized health status. Development of this breed began in the late 1960s at the Institute of Animal Breeding and Genetics (Institut fϋr Tierzucht und Haustiergenetik) at the University of Göttingen, Germany, by crossbreeding the Minnesota minipig, the Vietnamese Potbelly Pig and the German Landrace pig. Today the Göttingen Minipig is bred at four separate locations globally and is used in life-saving biomedical research all over the world.

For centuries, the pig has been considered a suitable animal model in medical research due to its many similarities with human anatomy. Early assumptions about human anatomy were possible due to parallels drawn between human and pig anatomy. The famous anatomist Galen of Pergamon (A.D. 129–201) dissected pigs and other species to develop an understanding of human anatomy. For centuries his work was the foundation for a basic understanding of human anatomy. Today we know that there are anatomical and physiological differences between pigs and humans. As with all species, however, the many similarities that do exist make pigs an incredibly valuable model for the study of both human and animal disease.

The use of pigs in biomedical research has increased since the 1940s. Several strains of miniature pigs (also known as minipigs) have been developed for research purposes. Smaller pigs require less space and diet, are easier to handle and require a lesser amount of the compound being tested.

The Göttingen Minipig was the first minipig breed to be developed in Europe. It was available to the German biomedical research community from the late 1960s. Breeding began by crossing the Minnesota minipig, obtained from the Hormel Institute in the United States, and the Vietnamese potbelly pig, obtained from a German zoo. Subsequent cross breeding with the German Landrace produced the white or pink skin pigmentation which characterizes modern Göttingen Minipigs. Breeding goals included a low body weight, good ear veins, and low in-breeding coefficients.

...
Wikipedia