Much attention has been paid to litter size, weaning weight, growth rate, efficiency of feed conversion, carcass quality, and physical soundness.
The development of the breed began in 1947 with crosses of Berkshire sows to boars of Danish Landrace and Chester White ancestry.
The foundation stock was top Berkshire sows obtained in Canada which were mated to Landrace-Chester White crossbred boars secured from the United States Department of Agriculture.
All Lacombes that entered the herd after 1954 were backcrossed with purebred Berkshires and those that produced any pigs with black hair were discarded.
From 1954 to 1957, Lacombes were evaluated in 60 commercial Yorkshire herds in Alberta and proved to have the performance, capabilities, and meat qualities that were sought.