The Black Alpine Pig : Rescue and Breeding

All breeds not meeting the new standards of performance disappeared. This was especially with pigs. Until recently everybody was convinced of the total loss of all autochthonous Alpine pig breeds! But in 2013 representatives of the Veterinary Faculty at Parma University found in a School Farm one last group of Valtellina pigs (also called Grison pig). The Alpine Network Pro Patrimonio Montano* continued the breed and found after extensive search tours two other relict groups to include and avoid inbreeding. The three provenances form today a gene pool, representing all alpine pig breeds. Three years after, there are again 73 breeding animals in 27 breeding groups in three countries. Earlier the black and spotted Alpine pigs were spread in the mountains of central and south-eastern Alpine regions from Switzerland to northwest Slovenia. Yet, no scientific data are available, but studies are currently undertaken.