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Vietnamese Pot-bellied

Vietnamese Pot-bellied

Vietnamese Pot-bellied is the exonym for the Lon I (Vietnamese: Lợn Ỉ) or I pig, an endangered traditional Vietnamese breed of small domestic pig. The I is uniformly black and has short legs and a low-hanging belly, from which the name derives. It is reared for meat; it is slow-growing, but the pork has good flavour. The I was depicted in the traditional Đông Hồ paintings of Bắc Ninh province as a symbol of happiness, satiety and wealth.

Life Span 15-20 years
Weight 50-350 kg

What to Know Before Buying a Vietnamese Pot-bellied

Finding a responsible Vietnamese Pot-bellied breeder requires more than browsing classified ads or responding to social media posts. The USDA requires any breeder who sells pigs commercially — especially those selling online or through third-party dealers — to hold a federal license and submit to regular inspections. A legitimate breeder should be willing to provide their USDA license number, invite you to visit their facility, and show you where the animals are housed and socialized.

Before committing to a purchase, ask the breeder for veterinary health records, vaccination documentation, and any genetic testing results relevant to the Vietnamese Pot-bellied. Reputable breeders will also ask you questions in return — about your living situation, experience with animals, and ability to provide long-term care. A breeder who asks no questions and is eager to ship an animal immediately is a significant red flag.

Use the search tool below to check whether any USDA-licensed facilities breeding Vietnamese Pot-bellieds appear in our database. If they do, review their inspection history carefully. Look for patterns of violations, pay attention to severity levels, and compare their compliance grade with other breeders in the same state. This due diligence takes minutes and can save you from supporting a facility with documented animal welfare problems.

Looking for a Vietnamese Pot-bellied breeder?

Search our database of USDA-licensed facilities to find inspected breeders and check their compliance history.

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