Sarda pig

Last updated

Sarda
Suino razza sarda (cropped).JPG
Conservation status
Other names
  • Suino Sardo
  • Porcu Sardu
Country of originItaly
Traits
Weight
  • Male:
    100 kg [3]
Notes
Breed standard
  • Pig
  • Sus scrofa domesticus
Engraving of a Sardinian pig, from Francesco Cetti, I quadrupedi di Sardegna, 1774 Sardinian pig, from Cetti 1774.jpg
Engraving of a Sardinian pig, from Francesco Cetti, I quadrupedi di Sardegna, 1774
Two Sardinian pigs Suino razza sarda2.JPG
Two Sardinian pigs

The Sarda or Suino Sardo (Sardinian : Porcu Sardu) is a breed of domestic pig from the Mediterranean island of Sardinia, Italy. [3] It is raised mainly in the provinces of Ogliastra and Nuoro, but is also present in those of Medio Campidano and Sassari and in the Sarrabus-Gerrei sub-region. The Sarda breed was officially recognised by ministerial decree on 8 June 2006 and became the sixth autochthonous pig breed recognised by the Ministero delle Politiche Agricole Alimentari e Forestali, the Italian ministry of agriculture and forestry. [4]

History

The earliest detailed description of Sardinian pigs was written by Francesco Cetti in 1774, in his I quadrupedi di Sardegna: [5]

What is most striking on first seeing it is the magnificence of its tail: it is not twisted, as is usual, nor short and naked, but hangs thick and straight to below the knee, [and is] thickly covered with bristle; it looks like the tail of a horse. Equally thick bristle covers the whole body, but on the ridge of the spine, the bristles stand upright almost like a blade, as far as half-way along the back; above the loins there is another threatening tuft of them.

Both the description and the accompanying illustration are comparable to present-day Sarda pigs [6] and to the modern breed standard.

Management of the Sarda pig is almost always completely open-range; the pigs are allowed to range freely in wooded mountain areas, often including public land, where they feed on acorns, chestnuts and roots. Additional feed is given only in the summer, when natural sources of food are scarce. Pigmen train the pigs to come at their call to the usual feeding-place; feed is often given directly on the ground, or at the side of the road. [1]

The herdbook was established in 2006, [7] and is kept by the Associazione Nazionale Allevatori Suini, the Italian national association of pig breeders. At the end of 2012 there were 575 pigs registered. [8]

Related Research Articles

The Sarda is an indigenous breed of domestic goat from the Mediterranean island of Sardinia, off the west coast of central Italy. It is raised throughout the island, particularly in the provinces of Cagliari and Nuoro. It is an ancient breed that has been influenced by the Maltese goat.

Asinara donkey Italian breed of feral donkey

The Asinara donkey, Italian: Asino dell'Asinara, is a breed of feral donkey indigenous to the island of Asinara, which lies off the north-west coast of Sardinia, Italy, in the province of Sassari. Most of the population is wholly or partly albinistic; the small number of grey donkeys on the island are also considered part of the population, and are probably heterozygous carriers of the albino gene. The Asinara donkey is one of the eight autochthonous donkey breeds of limited distribution recognised by the Ministero delle Politiche Agricole Alimentari e Forestali, the Italian ministry of agriculture and forestry. It is called ainu, borricu or molenti in Sardinian.

The Italian Landrace is an Italian breed of domestic pig. It derives from the Danish Landrace breed developed in Denmark at the end of the nineteenth century. Stock was imported into Italy after the Second World War. The breed has been selected principally for suitability for the production of prosciutto crudo. It is, after the Large White Italiana, the second-most numerous pig breed in Italy. The breed standard is issued by the Ministero delle Politiche Agricole Alimentari e Forestali, the Italian ministry of agriculture and forestry; the herdbook is kept by the Associazione Nazionale Allevatori Suini, the national pig-breeders' association.

Cinta Senese breed of domestic pig

The Cinta Senese is a breed of domestic pig from the province of Siena, in Tuscany, central Italy. Since 2006 animals raised in Tuscany have had DOP status, and are officially named Suino Cinto Toscano DOP. The Cinta Senese is one of the six autochthonous pig breeds recognised by the Ministero delle Politiche Agricole Alimentari e Forestali, the Italian ministry of agriculture and forestry.

The Calvana is a cattle breed from Tuscany, in central Italy. It is particularly associated with the Calvana region in the provinces of Florence and Prato, but is also raised in the provinces of Pistoia and Siena. It was previously considered a type within the Chianina breed, but is now recognised as a separate breed. A herdbook was opened in 1985. It is one of the 16 minor Italian cattle breeds of limited diffusion recognised and protected by the Ministero delle Politiche Agricole Alimentari e Forestali, the Italian ministry of agriculture.

The Sarda is a breed of small beef cattle from the Italian island of Sardinia. It is one of the sixteen minor Italian cattle breeds of limited diffusion recognised and protected by the Ministero delle Politiche Agricole Alimentari e Forestali, the Italian ministry of agriculture.

Amiatina

The Amiatina or Italian: Asino dell'Amiata is a breed of donkey from Tuscany in central Italy. It is particularly associated with Monte Amiata in the provinces of Siena and Grosseto, but is distributed throughout Tuscany. There are also populations in Liguria and in Campania. It is one of the eight autochthonous donkey breeds of limited distribution recognised by the Ministero delle Politiche Agricole Alimentari e Forestali, the Italian ministry of agriculture and forestry.

Ragusano donkey

The Ragusano is a breed of donkey from the Mediterranean island of Sicily. It is associated particularly with the comuni of Modica, Ragusa, Santa Croce Camerina and Scicli, all in the Province of Ragusa in southern Sicily. It is one of the eight autochthonous donkey breeds of limited distribution recognised by the Ministero delle Politiche Agricole Alimentari e Forestali, the Italian ministry of agriculture and forestry. The Ragusano was listed as "endangered" by the FAO in 2007.

The Pantesco or Asino di Pantelleria is an Italian breed of donkey from the Mediterranean island of Pantelleria, south-west of Sicily. It is at high risk of extinction and was listed as "critical" by the FAO in 2007. It is one of the eight autochthonous donkey breeds of limited distribution recognised by the Ministero delle Politiche Agricole Alimentari e Forestali, the Italian ministry of agriculture and forestry.

Martina Franca donkey

The Martina Franca donkey, Italian: Asino di Martina Franca, is a breed of donkey from Puglia in southern Italy. It is the largest Italian donkey breed, and was famous for its qualities in the production of mules. It is particularly associated with the comune of Martina Franca from which it takes its name, but the area of origin also includes Alberobello, Ceglie Messapica, Locorotondo, Massafra, Mottola and Noci, in the provinces of Bari, Brindisi and Taranto. It is still raised mainly in Puglia, but there are also populations in Abruzzo, Lazio, Lombardy and Umbria. It is one of the eight autochthonous donkey breeds of limited distribution recognised by the Ministero delle Politiche Agricole Alimentari e Forestali, the Italian ministry of agriculture and forestry.

The Grigio Siciliano or Asino Ferrante, is a breed of donkey from the Mediterranean island of Sicily in southern Italy. It is bred only on the island, in the provinces of Agrigento, Enna, Palermo, Ragusa and Syracuse. The conservation status of the Grigio Siciliano was listed as "critical" by the FAO in 2007. In 2012 it was not among the autochthonous donkey breeds of limited distribution recognised by the Ministero delle Politiche Agricole Alimentari e Forestali, the Italian ministry of agriculture and forestry. A recent census conducted by researchers at the University of Messina counted approximately 100 individuals between 4 months and 14 years old.

Nero di Parma pig breed

The Nero di Parma is a breed of pig from the province of Parma, in the Italian region of Emilia-Romagna. It is a modern recreation of the ancient Nera Parmigiana breed, which became effectively extinct in the second half of the twentieth century, following the importation of pig breeds from Britain, though it is still listed in DAD-IS. From the mid-1990s, the breed was re-created from a small number of primitive animals located in the areas of Santa Margherita di Fidenza, Bardi, and Pellegrino Parmense, and in 2008 numbered about 300. A herdbook is kept by the Associazione Nazionale Allevatori Suini, the Italian national association of pig-breeders. It is not among the pig breeds recognised by the Ministero delle Politiche Agricole Alimentari e Forestali, the Italian ministry of agriculture and forestry.

Mora Romagnola breed of pig

The Mora Romagnola is a breed of pig from Emilia-Romagna, in northern Italy. It may also be called Mora, Bruna Romagnola, Castagnina or Forlivese. It is raised principally in Emilia–Romagna, but also in Campania, Friuli–Venezia Giulia, Lombardy, the Marche, Piemonte and the Veneto. It is one of the six autochthonous pig breeds recognised by the Ministero delle Politiche Agricole Alimentari e Forestali, the Italian ministry of agriculture and forestry.

Nero Siciliano

The Nero Siciliano is a breed of domestic pig from the Mediterranean island of Sicily, in southern Italy. It is raised mainly in the province of Messina, particularly in the Monti Nebrodi. For this reason it is often known as the Nero dei Nebrodi; it may also be called Nero delle Madonie or Nero dell'Etna, for its association with the Madonie mountains and mount Etna respectively. It is one of the six autochthonous pig breeds recognised by the Ministero delle Politiche Agricole Alimentari e Forestali, the Italian ministry of agriculture and forestry.

The Apulo-Calabrese is a breed of black domestic pig from Calabria, in southern Italy. It may also be known as the Calabrese, Nero Calabrese or Nero di Calabria, and by many other regional names. It derives from the old Pugliese pig breed of Puglia, which in turn derives from the Casertana breed of Campania; it is closely related to that breed. The Apulo-Calabrese is one of the six autochthonous pig breeds recognised by the Ministero delle Politiche Agricole Alimentari e Forestali, the Italian ministry of agriculture and forestry.

The Large White Italiana is the Italian strain of the British Large White or Yorkshire breed of pig. It is the most numerous pig breed in Italy. It is one of the seven pig breeds of foreign origin recognised by the Ministero delle Politiche Agricole Alimentari e Forestali, the Italian ministry of agriculture and forestry, and one of the four for which a genealogical herdbook is kept by the Associazione Nazionale Allevatori Suini, the Italian national association of pig-breeders.

The Casertana is a breed of domestic pig from Campania, in southern Italy. It is mainly associated with the province of Caserta, from which its name derives, but was in the past also raised in the provinces of Campobasso, Naples, Rome and Salerno. The area of the lower basin of the Garigliano and Volturno rivers, including the comuni of Carinola, Mondragone, Minturno, Sessa Aurunca and Teano, was particularly known for production of the breed, which may also be known as the Teanese after the town of Teano.

The Duroc Italiana is the Italian strain of the American Duroc breed of domestic pig. It is the third most numerous pig breed in Italy, after the Large White Italiana and the Italian Landrace. It is one of the seven pig breeds of foreign origin recognised by the Ministero delle Politiche Agricole Alimentari e Forestali, the Italian ministry of agriculture and forestry, and one of the four for which a genealogical herdbook is kept by the Associazione Nazionale Allevatori Suini, the Italian national association of pig-breeders.

The Sarda Primitiva is an indigenous breed of domestic goat from the Mediterranean island of Sardinia, off the west coast of Italy. It is quite distinct from the better-known Sarda breed of goat. It is raised in the mountainous areas of the historic sub-regions of Ogliastra, of Sarrabus-Gerrei and of Sulcis-Iglesiente. It is one of the forty-three autochthonous Italian goat breeds of limited distribution for which a herdbook is kept by the Associazione Nazionale della Pastorizia, the Italian national association of sheep- and goat-breeders.

References

  1. 1 2 Daniele Bigi, Alessio Zanon (2008). Atlante delle razze autoctone: Bovini, equini, ovicaprini, suini allevati in Italia (in Italian). Milan: Edagricole. ISBN   9788850652594. p. 448–50.
  2. Barbara Rischkowsky, D. Pilling (eds.) (2007). List of breeds documented in the Global Databank for Animal Genetic Resources, annex to The State of the World's Animal Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture. Rome: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. ISBN   9789251057629. Accessed April 2011.
  3. 1 2 Breed data sheet: Sarda/Italy. Domestic Animal Diversity Information System of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Accessed May 2014.
  4. Norme tecniche del Libro Genealogico e del Registro Anagrafico della specie suina: Allegato 1 a D.M. 11255 del 13 June 2013 (in Italian). Ministero delle Politiche Agricole Alimentari e Forestali. pp. 8–9. Accessed May 2014.
  5. Francesco Cetti (1774). I quadrupedi di Sardegna (in Italian). Sassari: Piattoli. p. 87.
    Ciò, che più ferisce al primo vederlo, è la splendidezza della sua coda: non è torta, come suole, nè breve, ed ignuda, ma pende diritta, grossa, lunga oltre al ginocchio, piena di setole; pare la coda di un cavallo. Uguale abbondanza di setole ricuopre tutto il corpo, ma sopra il fil della schiena le setole istanno ritte quasi una lamina, infino alla metà della schiena; sopra i lombi ne esce un altro fiocco minaccioso.
  6. S. Porcu, E. Daga, S. Pintus, M. G. Usai, R. Comunian and S. Ligios (2007). Il suino di razza Sarda: storia, realtà e prospettive [ permanent dead link ] (in Italian). Conference papers from "Il suino Nero Siciliano ecotipo dei nebrodi: le razze suine autoctone italiane dal sapore ai sapori", Longi (ME), 5 January 2007. Accessed May 2014.
  7. Strutture Zootecniche (Dec. 2009/712/CE - Allegato 2 - Capitolo 2) (in Italian). Ministero delle Politiche Agricole Alimentari e Forestali. Section I (e). Archived 4 May 2014.
  8. Andrea Cristini, et al. (23 June 2013). Relazione del comitato direttivo alla assemblea generale dei soci (in Italian). Rome: Associazione Nazionale Allevatori Suini. Archived 7 May 2014.