Gascon Pig

The present chapter aims to present history and current status of Gascon pig breed, one of the local pig breeds investigated in the project TREASURE. This French autochthonous breed of pigs, which almost disappeared, now enjoys a new boom. The quality of its product is recognized by the consumers and by official quality labels (Protected Designation of Origin). Exterior phenotypic characteristics of the breed, geographical location, production system and main products are described. Reproductive performance data available in the literature and estimated from the LIGERAL database (herdbook) are presented. Literature data on production traits are also summarized for growth (early, middle, late and overall growth), feed intake, body composition and carcass traits. Meat quality traits (pH, colour, intramuscular fat content and composition) and fat tissue characteristics (fatty acid profile) are also described. Studies on Gascon pig breed are scarce and variability between studies, especially regarding productive traits, can be explained by differences in production systems, feeding regimes and feed composition according to studies. Nevertheless, the current review gives updated insights into the reproduction, production and quality traits of this local pig breed

Schwäbisch-Hällisches Pig

The traditional, local breed Schwäbisch-Hällisches Schwein is originally located in the region of Hohenlohe in Baden-Württemberg, which still is the main breeding area. The breed was developed since nearly 200 years ago by the local farmers and is well adapted to the regional conditions. Next to the genetic value of the old breed in terms of biodiversity, it is the basement for a sustainable local pork chain. In terms of scientific substantiation, their performances and products are mainly untapped. Thus the aim of the present chapter is to present history and current status of Schwäbisch-Hällisches pig breed, its exterior phenotypic characteristics, geographical location, production system and main products from this German autochthonous breed of pigs, one of the local pig breeds investigated in the project TREASURE. Moreover, a collection and review of available literature data, available until August 2017, on reproductive and productive traits of Schwäbisch-Hällisches pig breed were carried out. Meat quality of longissimus muscle completed the conventional productive traits as it is of great interest in autochthonous breeds. Although studies on Schwäbisch-Hällisches pig are scarce, current review gives the first insight into this local pig breed

Nero Siciliano Pig

Origins of Nero Siciliano pig date to Carthaginian domination and its rearing, after a setback during the Arab period, was rather diffused throughout Sicily. Breed rearing is nowadays limited from the farmed area to the wooded hills of north-eastern Sicily. The latest available status (2015) reported 87 registered farms with about 1100 breeding sows and 124 boars enrolled in the herdbook started in 2001, as well as the conservation programme. Coat colour is mainly black but white face and wattles are accepted. Nero Siciliano pigs have on average 7.6 piglets of 1.4 kg live body weight and the average daily gain during fattening period was on average 346 g/day for the overall fattening stage. Slaughter age of Nero Siciliano breed was on average 390 days, at an average live weight of 95 kg. Average intramuscular fat content was 4.6% and as regards fatty acid composition, average values obtained for SFA, MUFA and PUFA were 37.5, 54.2 and 8.3% in longissimus muscle and 39.0, 49.4 and 11.7% in back fat tissue, respectively. This review gives an exhaustive review of the information available for this local Italian breed

TEORETICAL AND PRACTICAL ASPECTS OF IMMUNOCASTRATION

Due to animal welfare problems and strong public opposition a ban on surgical castration of male piglets is foreseen in EU until the end of 2018. To cope with this major change in pig production, intensive research of possible alternatives is carried out, in particular fattening of entire (EM) and immunocastrated (IC) males. Present publication is focused on the immunocastration; its physiological principles and impact on metabolism, growth performance, carcass and meat quality, animal welfare, economics and public acceptability. Although current trends indicate that rearing of EM is more likely to become a regular practice for the provision of fresh meat market, immunocastration offers a good alternative, especially interesting for fattening pigs to higher age and weight (e.g. more extensive systems) due to the efficient elimination of boar taint and advantages in animal welfare and meat quality

Nero Casertano Pig

The present chapter aims to present the history, current status and information of Nero Casertano pig breed investigated in the project TREASURE. As for most of the other Italian local pig breed conservation program started in 2001 and in 2015, 20 farms of Nero Casertano pigs with about 545 breeding sows and 20 boars were registered. The average age of sows at the first parturition is 16 months, whereas age at culling is 59 months. On average Nero Casertano pigs have 1.2 litters per year with 7.6 piglets. The farrowing interval (305 days on average) is prolonged compared to modern pig breeds. The fattening phase of Nero Casertano pigs is generally characterised by slower growth, and the animals were slaughtered at around 375 days of age, with an average live weight of 154 kg and a dressing yield of 81%. The breed is characterised by a high level of backfat thickness. The breed is traditionally raised with the semi-extensive system, and the most recognised trait of the Nero Casertano pig is the ‘marbling’ of the meat. This current review provides a comprehensive insight into the information for this local pig breed

Basque Pig

Local pig breeds are adapted to the specific local environment and fed with various locally available feedstuffs. Besides their genetic merit for agro-biodiversity, they represent the basis for sustainable local pork chains. The present chapter aims to present history and current status of the Basque pig breed, its exterior phenotypic characteristics, geographical location, production system and main products. This French autochthonous breed of pigs, which almost disappeared few decades ago, seems now consolidated, thanks to a chain organization and recognised high-quality products (Protected Designation of Origin). Reproductive performance data reviewed from the literature and estimated from the LIGERAL database (herdbook) are presented. Available data on production traits including growth (early, middle, late and overall growth), feed intake, body composition and carcass traits are also summarized. Meat quality traits (pH, colour, intramuscular fat content and fatty acid composition) and back fat tissue characteristics (fatty acid profile) are also described. Studies on the Basque pig breed are scarce. Different production systems, feeding regimes and feed composition used among studies can explain differences observed between studies, especially for productive traits. However, the current review gives insight into the reproduction, production and carcass and meat quality traits of this local pig breed

Mora Romagnola Pig

Mora Romagnola breed, one of the Italian local pig breeds, owes its name to its colour, dark brown tending to black. Currently 31 farms are registered in the herdbook started in 2001 with about 270 breeding females and 67 boars. During the 1990s, only 18 animals were left, all concentrated in one single farm. The breed was investigated within the H2020 project TREASURE, and a collection and review of available literature data on reproductive and productive traits of Mora Romagnola pig breed were carried out. The average age of sows at first parturition was 22 months, whereas age at culling was 58 months. On average, Mora Romagnola pig breed has 8.0 piglets per parity with 1.4 parities per year. Slaughter weight was on average 163 kg with a dressing yield of 80%. Few information is available for meat quality traits. Although studies on Mora Romagnola pig are scarce, the current review gives the first insight into this local pig breed

Sarda Pig

Sarda pig breed (a.k.a. Suino Sardo) is a local breed from Sardinia Island (Italy) with its ancestors dating back to the Nuragic period. It is the most recent breed interested by a conservation programme among the six Italian autochthonous pig breeds investigated by the H2020 project TREASURE and could be considered untapped in terms of information on its performances and products. Thirteen farms were registered at the last census (2015) including sixty-one breeding sows and twenty boars. It is a small size breed with black, grey, tawny or spotted coat colour. On average, age at parturition is 15.7 months, with 1.6 litters per year and 7.8 piglets per parity. Average piglet mortality is rather high in the considered studies (16.1%). The average daily gain for Sarda pig within the considered studies was 423 g/day. On average, daily feed intake in the overall fattening stage was 2.3 kg/day. Sarda pigs were slaughtered at approximately 686 days of age, at an average live weight of 193 kg. Sporadic information is available for meat quality traits. Although studies on Sarda pig are scarce, the current review gives the first insight into this local pig breed

Apulo-Calabrese Pig

The aim of the present chapter is to present history and current status of Apulo-Calabrese pig breed, one of the local pig breeds investigated in the project TREASURE. Apulo-Calabrese breed is one of the Italian autochthonous pig breeds. Its origin dates back to the Roman times, but it suffered a drastic decline during the past century and the recovery started in the 1990s. A herd book for this breed was established in 2001, but its performances and products are practically untapped. There are 45 registered farms with around 500 breeding sows and 100 boars. Apulo-Calabrese pig is characterised by black coat colour. On average sows of Apulo-Calabrese pig breed have 1.7 litters per year with 6.9 piglets. Regarding growth performances, the potential of Apulo-Calabrese pigs in ad libitum conditions of feeding is high (≈762 g/day in middle fattening stage) although information on feed intake and feed nutritional value was scarce, which limits the evaluation of growth potential. Data on body composition, carcass traits and meat and fat quality are scarce. The present review gives a first insight into this local pig breed

Analytical Review of Productive Performance of Local Pig Breeds

Traits of interest concerning reproductive performance, growth performance, carcass and meat quality of local pig breeds involved in H2020 project TREASURE were collected from the available literature, unpublished data available to partners or results recorded in the experiments within the project. The survey revealed great variability in the availability and quality of information. Reproductive performance of local pig breeds is lower than in conventional modern pig breeds, not only due to their genetic background but also due to the management. Data on growth rates reflect the heterogeneity of different production systems and feeding regimes used. The growth potential of the majority of local pig breeds is not well exploited, and their nutritional requirements are not known. Generally, local pig breeds show low muscular development and high potential for fat tissue deposition and are slaughtered at older age and weight, which results in higher intramuscular fat and more intense colour of meat. However, considerable differences exist between them and their potentials, not only in their production systems. For many local pig breeds studied in the project, the collected information provides the first in-depth overview of their productive performance in their preserved, present-day phenotype