Basque pig

The Basque pig (Basque: Euskal Txerri, French: Pie Noir du Pays Basque) is a breed of pig native to the Basque Country. As suggested by its name in French, the breed is piebald, black and pink.

Basque
Conservation statusrecovering
Other namesBasque: Euskal Txerri
French: Pie Noir du Pays Basque
Country of originFrance, Spain
DistributionBasque Country
Traits
  • Pig
  • Sus scrofa domesticus

What is today called the Basque pig is one of several historical breeds or breed types kept by Basque peoples, and it was consolidated under the name only in the 1920s.[1] Though they were relatively common in the early 20th century, Basque pigs had nearly disappeared by 1981,[1] with fewer than 100 breeding sows left.[2]

Today, the breed is preserved by small farmers in France and Spain who are dedicated to traditional Basque foods.[3][4] Basque pigs grow more slowly and develop more fat than modern breeds like the Large White,[5][6] making them less well-suited to intensive commercial meat production, but ideal for the creation of cured pork products such as Bayonne ham.[2] Basque sows have smallish litters of about nine young, but have a strong maternal instinct and are good mothers.[1]

References
  1. Gómez Fernández, M., The Conservation Programme for Basque Pig Breeds (PDF), University of Córdoba
  2. Gerald Hirigoyen; Cameron Hirigoyen (21 April 1999), The Basque Kitchen: Tempting Food from the Pyrenees, HarperCollins, p. 17, ISBN 9780067574614
  3. Roberto Rubino (30 January 2006), Livestock Farming Systems: Product Quality Based on Local Resources Leading to Improved Sustainability, Wageningen Academic Pub, pp. 177–182, ISBN 9789076998633
  4. Pietrasik, Andy (July 3, 2010), "A Basque banquet", The Guardian
  5. "Txerrikia Basque pig", The Ark of Taste, Slow Food Foundation
  6. Alfonso, L., Subcutaneous Fat and Loin Development in the Basque Black Pied Pig Breed (PDF), U.P.N.A. Departamento de Producción Agraria
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