Chato Murciano Pig
The Chato Murciano Pig is a breed of large, domesticated swine having a characteristic short snout. This is a meat breed originating in Spain as a result of a mixed-breeding program. This pig breed is ideal for the production of lean pork, extremely tender bacon, and sausage.
Quick Information
| Characteristics | They have a large stature but with a relatively shorter head; their short snout/nose is usually around 10.5 cm (in young adults); some individuals tend to have white patches on parts of their body such as the legs and the tail |
| Coat Hair | Short; found all over the body except on the mammary glands of the female |
| Fur Color | Mostly black, but sometimes white too |
| Tail | Twisted |
| Uses | Meat production |
| Lifespan/Expectancy | 12-15 years (average) |
| Weight | 180 kg (average) |
| Height (size) | 82.5 cm at the withers (adult boar and sow) |
| Diet | General pig diet consisting of local raw materials |
| Country of Origin | Spain |
History and Development
The Chato Murciano pigs were developed in the earlier half of the 19th century by mixed breeding a local Murcian variety with the Berkshire, the Victoria, the Tamworth, and the Large White pigs. The creation of this breed was indeed important since the Spanish people from the region of Murcia were looking for a new improved breed that will meet the needs of their standards of pork consumption. The result was a success.
In 1865, the population of this swine breed rose to around 50,000, while by 1929, the population doubled to 100,000. However, the breed, incidentally, the breed was on the verge of extinction during the 1980s, until the governments and the agriculturists conducted special cross-breeding and artificial insemination programs, gradually helping the breed to regain a sustainable position for survival.
Farming
The Chato Murciano pigs were, and still are reared for bacon and their lean meat. They are easy to farm since their maintenance cost is very less. Apart from that, they are also incredibly adapted to the warm, dry climate of southern Spain, and can live by consuming raw materials that can be gathered locally.
Meat (Pork) Production
The animals grow fast. They are slaughtered at around 18 months of age when they attain the weight of around 180 kg. The meat of these pigs has a significant amount of fat with muscle pigmentation, as well as high levels of oleic acid, making it ideal for the production of sausage.
Interesting Facts
- The breed derived its name from the self-explanatory Spanish attributes, wherein ‘chato’ means ‘short-nosed’, and ‘Murciano’ means ‘from Murcia’.
- The snout of this breed grows to about 10.5 cm, but usually shrinks by 1 cm when they are around 12 years old.
- The female Chato Murcianos can have up to 14 mammary glands.
