Black Alpine Pig

Most alpine pig varieties died in Switzerland about 100 years ago, in the canton of Grisons they survived until 35-40 years ago. Now, after six months of preparation and subsequent two-month quarantine at Tierpark Goldau, four breeding groups have been returned to Switzerland. Difficulties were caused by a lung disease (APP) that is not treated as a disease in the EU. It was a cumbersome selection process to find APP-free animals that met Swiss import regulations. This was only possible thanks to a group of veterinarians who supported us.
The photo shows one of the new breeding groups on the Hörnlihof in 1000 m asl in the Tössbergland.

The European Trademark Office EUIPO granted trademark protection to the Black Alpine Pig or Nero delle Alpi on 27 April 2018. More information under section “Label / Trademark”

The black alpine pigs move westwards ... Now there is a new breeding group also in Vorarlberg, in the Kleinwalsertal at Riezlern

Still not in Switzerland (unfortunately), but with more than 100 animals in almost 40 breeding groups in the former dissemination area again in quite a stable breeding.

Alpine pig offspring in one of the largest and most beautiful free-range places in the Agriturismo La Pecora Nera, Civo (Valtellina)

After three breeding groups of Alpine pigs in the Austrian Lungau and two breeding groups in the Bavarian Berchtesgadener Land, there is now north of the Alps - since New Year - also a first breeding group in North Tyrol with Ernst Rieser.

PatriMont got the opportunity, to present the recovery project to an international audience of 150 participants at the "9th International Symposium on Mediterranean Pig", 3-5 November in Portugal.
=> short project intro presentation.pdf, => poster.pdf
=> Black_Alpine_pig__in_Archivos_de_Zootecnia.pdf

The Alpine Network Pro Patrimonio Montano has grown rapidly with its projects. Therefore the necessary steps to further development and regionalization were discussed at the annual meeting. What concerns the Black Alpine pigs:

• The "Recommendations on the outdoor keeping and feeding" were discussed and approved
• The protection of the quality products shall be ensured by establishing a Trademark.

The South Tyrolean Folklore Museum Dietenheim near Brunico in Pustertal shows not only valuable old buildings, but also domestic animals: These romp in the meadows between the houses. There is also a breeding group of Black Alpin pig namely from the pied type. The animals are on show until the end of October at the museum.

Congratulations to Gianluca Monni to his success in the competition "San Pellegrino Young Chef" in Italy. He cooked a piglet of the black Alpine pigs in a clay jug from Sardinian recipe and, thus, has made the semi-finals!

On April 27, 2016 the first black pigs north of the Alps were born at Ramsau, Berchtesgaden (Upper Bavaria).

Three breeding groups are now located in county Lungau (Salzburg), one of them in a public accessible show farm (but advance notification mandatory!). See Show Farms.

A successful first meeting in Innsbruck with the new breeders from the Salzburg Lungau and the Bavarian Berchtesgadener Land. A committed group which will also promote the Alpine pig project to the north of the Alps.

The Bavarian TV-channel reported in the frame of "Abendschau - Der Süden. Live vor Ort und Reportagen aus Südbayern" about the return of the black alpine pig (in German language!)
Here you can see the movie (9.5 minutes, in German only):

A milestone has been achieved

After a successful conservation of the breed in Italy five breeding groups could be brought to the North of the Alps. Three groups live now in the Austrian Lungau (Salzburg province) and two groups in the Bavarian mountain areas of Berchtesgaden.