The Iberian pig is a breed native to the Iberian Peninsula, highly valued for the quality of the products obtained from it (hams, loins, chorizo, shoulders, etc.).
Unlike other breeds that are more used to being raised on intensive farms, these animals can live perfectly outdoors in the meadows, feeding on acorns and herbs. Today, Iberian pork sausages and hams are becoming known internationally due to the fat infiltration that gives their products an exquisite flavor.
Keep reading this article on our site to find out everything about Iberian pig breeding.
Characteristics of the Iberian pig
If you want to dedicate yourself to breeding the Iberian pig it is essential that you know the characteristics that make this breed unique and special:
- Rough breed that adapts to extensive exploitation conditions.
- Average size and weight that can range between 100 and 150 kg for females, and 150 and 200kg for males.
- Color that goes from black to retinto (reddish color).
- Well-developed muscles on the back, back and hind legs
- Long snout, peaked ears and thin limbs.
- Capacity for infiltration of fat into its musculature, making the flavor and texture of its meat highly appreciated.
La dehesa, breeding place of the Iberian pig
The dehesa is a Mediterranean forest formed by large extensions of grass and trees separated from each other (mainly holm oaks or cork oaks), intended for livestock, hunting or for the use of forest resources. It is typical of the southwest and west of the peninsula (Huelva, Salamanca, Badajoz, Cáceres, part of Portugal…). It has great economic importance in rural areas that live from agricultural activities. It is the ideal place for breeding the Iberian pig.
Lifecycle
The female becomes pregnant when she is between 8 and 12 months old, and weighs 65 kg. They are almost always covered by natural mating in August, February-March or November-December.
Although they live in extensive, the animals usually have small stables or boxes where they can give birth and raise the piglets. The females are given energy food supplements since they live extensively.
Iberian pig females have a gestation period of three months, three weeks and three days. They usually have a litter of between 4 and 6 piglets. From the birth of the animal, the pig will go through the following periods:
- Breeding period: from when the piglet is born until it stops drinking milk from the mother. They reach a weight of 23 kg.
- Rebreeding period: they feed on low-energy, fiber-rich feed, with the aim of having a good bone structure and muscular. It is divided into two phases: the first goes from 23kg to 58kg (it is called pig), and the second from 58kg to 104kg (it is called primal).
- Fattening period: this is the last period before the pig is slaughtered, and it will fatten up with one type of feed or another.
Bait Types
These animals can be classified according to the type of feeding they have during the fattening period.
- Iberian acorn-fed pig: they feed on acorns and grasses from the dehesa for a minimum period of 60 days. The minimum age for slaughter is 14 months and with a fattening weight of 46kg feeding on acorns.
- Iberian recebo pig: it also feeds on acorns and grasses from the dehesa for 60 days, but it ends fattening at cereal feed base. The minimum age is the same as the previous one, and the weight gained with acorns is 29 kg.
- Iberian fat-fed pig: feeds on cereal feed in closed places. It is slaughtered with a minimum age of 10 months. In some cases, if the pig has been in the dehesa for a minimum of 2 months, it will be called “cebo de campo”.
Denominations of origin
In Spain there are four designations of origin for Iberian ham recognized by European legislation. They are areas of great tradition that are responsible for checking that their products meet a series of quality characteristics. They are as follows:
- Iberian Ham D. O. Ham from Huelva
- Iberian Ham D. O. Los Pedroches
- Iberian Ham D. O. Guijuelo Ham
- Iberian Ham D. O. Dehesa of Extremadura
