Apulo-Calabrese facts for kids

The Apulo-Calabrese is a special kind of black pig that comes from southern Italy. It's mostly found in a region called Calabria. You might also hear it called Calabrese, Nero Calabrese, or Nero di Calabria. It has many other local names too! This pig breed is related to older Italian pigs like the Pugliese and Casertana. It's one of only six native pig breeds that the Italian government officially recognizes.

History of the Apulo-Calabrese Pig

The Apulo-Calabrese pig is strongly connected to certain areas in Italy. These include the provinces of Catanzaro, Cosenza, and Reggio di Calabria. It's also found in the area of Lagonegro.

Past Local Pig Types

In the early 1900s, there were local types of this pig. They were named after their areas, like Catanzarese or Cosentina. Sadly, these specific local types are now considered to be gone.

Changes in Pig Population

The Calabrese pig used to be the main pig in its region. In the mid-1920s, there were over 130,000 of them! But after World War II, their numbers dropped a lot. This happened especially from the 1970s. New, faster-growing pig breeds, like the British Yorkshire pig, became more popular.

Protecting the Breed Today

To help protect the Apulo-Calabrese pig, a special record book was started in 2001. This book keeps track of all the pigs of this breed. It's managed by the Italian national association of pig breeders. Even with these efforts, the number of Apulo-Calabrese pigs is still low. In 2007, there were only 499 pigs. Because of this, the FAO listed the breed as "endangered-maintained." This means it's still in danger, but people are working to keep it going. By 2012, the total number had grown a bit to 2,198.