Black Iberian pig

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Iberian pig
BlackPig004.JPG
Black pig being raised in the countryside near Évora, Alentejo, Portugal
Country of origin Iberian Peninsula
Traits
  • Pig
  • Sus domesticus
Iberian pigs in Extremadura, Spain Cerdos ibericos.jpg
Iberian pigs in Extremadura, Spain
Jamon Iberico, BEHER "Bellota Oro", was selected as "best ham in the world" in IFFA Delicat 2007, 2010 and 2013. Jamon Bellota 2007 BEHER Bernardo Hernandez Guijuelo Salamanca..JPG
Jamón Ibérico , BEHER "Bellota Oro", was selected as "best ham in the world" in IFFA Delicat 2007, 2010 and 2013.

The Iberian pig, also known in Portugal as the Alentejo Pig, is a traditional breed of the domestic pig (Sus scrofa domesticus) that is native to the Iberian Peninsula. The Iberian pig, whose origins can probably be traced back to the Neolithic, when animal domestication started, is currently found in herds clustered in Spain and the central and southern part of Portugal.

The most commonly accepted theory is that the pigs were first brought to the Iberian Peninsula by the Phoenicians from the Eastern Mediterranean coast (current-day Lebanon), where they interbred with wild boars.[ citation needed ] This cross gave rise to the ancestors of what are today Iberian pigs. The production of Iberian pig is deeply rooted to the Mediterranean ecosystem. It is a rare example in world swine production where the pig contributes so decisively to the preservation of the ecosystem. The Iberian breed is currently one of the few examples of a domesticated breed which has adapted to a pastoral setting where the land is particularly rich in natural resources, in this case acorns from the holm oak, gall oak and cork oak. [1]

The numbers of the Iberian breed have been drastically reduced since 1960 due to several factors such as the outbreak of African swine fever and the lowered value of animal fats. In the past few years, however, the production of pigs of the Iberian type has increased to satisfy a renewed demand for top-quality meat and cured products. At the same time, breed specialisation has led to the disappearance of some ancestral varieties. [2]

This traditional breed exhibits a good appetite and propensity to obesity, including a great capacity to accumulate intramuscular and epidermal fat. The high intramuscular fat is what produces the typical marbling; this, together with traditional feeding based on acorns, is what makes its ham taste so special. Iberian pigs are interesting from a human biomedical perspective because they present high feed intake and propensity to obesity, compatible with high values of serum leptin. [3]

The Iberian pig can be either red or dark in colour, if black ranging from dark to grey, with little or no hair and a lean body, thus giving rise to the familiar name pata negra, or "black hoof". In traditional management, animals ranged freely in sparse oak forest ( dehesa in Spain, montado in Portugal), they are constantly moving around and therefore burn more calories than confined pigs. This, in turn, produces the fine bones typical of this kind of jamón ibérico .

The ham known as Jamon Iberico in Spain and Presunto de Porco Preto in Portugal, is an Iberian (Spanish/Portuguese) delicacy made from the acorn-fed black Iberian pig. Iberico Ham.jpg
The ham known as Jamón Ibérico in Spain and Presunto de Porco Preto in Portugal, is an Iberian (Spanish/Portuguese) delicacy made from the acorn-fed black Iberian pig.

At least a hectare of healthy dehesa is needed to raise a single pig, and since the trees may be several hundred years old, the prospects for reforesting lost dehesa are slim at best. True dehesa is a richly diverse habitat with four different types of oak that are crucial in the production of prime-quality ham. The bulk of the acorn harvest comes from the holm oak ( Quercus rotundifolia ) from November to February, but the season would be too short without the earlier harvests of Pyrenean oak (Quercus pyrenaica) and Portuguese or gall oak (Quercus lusitanica), and the late cork oak (Quercus suber) season, which between them extend the acorn-production period from September almost to April. [4] [5]

See also

Related Research Articles

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An oak is a hardwood tree or shrub in the genus Quercus of the beech family. They have spirally arranged leaves, often with lobed edges, and a nut called an acorn, borne within a cup. The genus is widely distributed in the Northern Hemisphere; it includes some 500 species, both deciduous and evergreen. Fossil oaks date back to the Middle Eocene. Molecular phylogeny shows that the genus is divided into Old World and New World clades, but many oak species hybridise freely, making the genus's history difficult to resolve.

<i>Quercus ilex</i> Oak tree species native to the Mediterranean

Quercus ilex, the evergreen oak, holly oak or holm oak is a large evergreen oak native to the Mediterranean region. It is a member of the Ilex section of the genus, with acorns that mature in a single summer.

<i>Quercus suber</i> Species of plant

Quercus suber, commonly called the cork oak, is a medium-sized, evergreen oak tree in the section Quercus sect. Cerris. It is the primary source of cork for wine bottle stoppers and other uses, such as cork flooring and as the cores of cricket balls. It is native to southwest Europe and northwest Africa. In the Mediterranean basin the tree is an ancient species with fossil remnants dating back to the Tertiary period. It can survive for as long as two centuries. Typically, once it reaches 25 years old, its thick bark can be harvested for cork every 9 to 12 years without causing harm to the tree.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Acorn</span> Nut of the oak tree

The acorn, or oaknut, is the nut of the oaks and their close relatives. It usually contains a seedling surrounded by two cotyledons, enclosed in a tough shell known as the pericarp, and borne in a cup-shaped cupule. Acorns are 1–6 cm long and 0.8–4 cm on the fat side. Acorns take between 5 and 24 months to mature; see the list of Quercus species for details of oak classification, in which acorn morphology and phenology are important factors.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oak savanna</span> Lightly forested grassland where oak trees are dominant

An oak savanna is a type of savanna—or lightly forested grassland—where oaks are the dominant trees. The terms "oakery" or "woodlands" are also used commonly, though the former is more prevalent when referencing the Mediterranean area. These savannas were maintained historically through wildfires set by lightning, humans, grazing, low precipitation, and/or poor soil.

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<i>Quercus faginea</i> Species of oak tree

Quercus faginea, the Portuguese oak, is a species of oak native to the western Mediterranean region in the Iberian Peninsula. Similar trees in the Atlas Mountains of northwest Africa are usually included in this species, or sometimes treated as a distinct species, Quercus tlemcenensis. It occurs in mountains from sea level to 1,900 metres above sea level, and flourishes in a variety of soils and climates. Out of all the oak forests in the Iberian Peninsula, the southern populations of Portuguese oak were found to have the highest diversity and endemism of spider species.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Forests of the Iberian Peninsula</span> Overview of forests of the Iberian Peninsula

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Saucedilla is a municipality located in the province of Cáceres, Extremadura, Spain. It belongs to the Campo Arañuelo County, the capital of which is Navalmoral de la Mata.

<i>Quercus lusitanica</i> Species of oak tree

Quercus lusitanica, commonly known as gall oak, Lusitanian oak, or dyer's oak, is a species of oak native to Portugal, Spain and Morocco. Quercus lusitanica is the source of commercial nutgalls. These galls are produced by the infection from the insect Cynips gallae tinctoriae. They are used for dyeing.

<i>Dehesa</i> Multifunctional agro-sylvo-pastoral system

A dehesa is a multifunctional, agrosylvopastoral system and cultural landscape of southern and central Spain and southern Portugal; in Portugal, it is known as a montado. Its name comes from the Latin defensa (fenced), referring to land that was fenced and usually destined for pasture. Dehesas may be private or communal property. Used primarily for grazing, they produce a variety of products, including non-timber forest products such as wild game, mushrooms, honey, cork, and firewood. They are also used to raise the Spanish fighting bull and the source of jamón ibérico, the Iberian pig. The main tree component is oaks, usually holm and cork. Other oaks, including melojo and quejigo, may be used to form dehesa, the species utilized depending on geographical location and elevation. Dehesa is an anthropogenic system that provides not only a variety of foods, but also wildlife habitat for endangered species such as the Spanish imperial eagle.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Choctaw Hog</span> American breed of pig

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Extremaduran cuisine</span> Cuisine of the Extremadura community of Spain

Extremadura, Spain is known for its different ways of preparing the Iberian pork and mutton. The main characteristics of the traditional Extremaduran cuisine are its simplicity, its lack of clutter and its low cost. It is also a cuisine reflecting a generous spirit, for many of its preparations used to be cooked in large pots to share with visitors, friends, and neighbors. The resulting dishes are eaten with local bread.

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<i>Quercus rotundifolia</i> Species of flowering plant in the family Fagaceae

Quercus rotundifolia, the holm oak or ballota oak, is an evergreen oak native to the western Mediterranean region, with the majority on the Iberian Peninsula and minor populations in Northwest Africa. The species was first described by Jean-Baptiste Lamarck in 1785. It is the typical species of the Iberian dehesa or montado, where its sweet-astringent acorns are a source of food for livestock, particularly the Iberian pig. Its acorns have been used for human nourishment since the Neolithic era. It is placed in section Ilex. Some authors described it as a subspecies of Quercus ilex.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Azaruja sausage</span>

Azaruja sausage is a type of sausage from Azaruja, Évora, Alentejo, Portugal. It is listed on the Ark of Taste. They are produced seasonally during the pig harvest season from December until February. Alentejo black pig. Other ingredients include spices and bread. The family recipes go back at least 150 years and the sausages are made in traditional home kitchens using Alentejan fireplaces.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Southwest Iberian Mediterranean sclerophyllous and mixed forests</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Iberian sclerophyllous and semi-deciduous forests</span>

The Iberian sclerophyllous and semi-deciduous forests is a Mediterranean forests, woodlands, and scrub ecoregion in southwestern Europe. It occupies the interior valleys and plateaus of the Iberian Peninsula. The ecoregion lies mostly in Spain, and includes some portions of eastern Portugal.

References

  1. Lopez-Bote, C J Sustained utilization of the Iberian pig breed Available online 18 October 2003; Departamento de Producción Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Complutense, Madrid, Spain
  2. E Fabuel, E; Barragán, C; Silió, L; Rodríguez, L C and Toro, M A Analysis of genetic diversity and conservation priorities in Iberian pigs based on microsatellite markers Heredity (2004) 93, 104–113, advance online publication 19 May 2004
  3. Fernandez-Figares I et al 2007: Serum profile of metabolites and hormones in obese (Iberian) and lean (Landrace) growing gilts fed balanced or lysine deficient diets. Livest Sci, 110:73-81.
  4. Eveleigh, Mark Free little pigs Archived May 21, 2008, at the Wayback Machine December 2007
  5. Harris, Don The Wild West of Spain Archived 2008-03-22 at the Wayback Machine October 2005