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Abstract. Nowadays once with the "slow food" trend the old local genetic resources stand out, offering quality instead quantity and not at least with a low carbon footprint. In this context the Mangalitsa swine with a very long history in the Carpathian Basin, comes into researchers and breeders attention with a very promising market, which so far cannot be satisfied by organic products. The main advantages of the breed is the climatic stress and disease resistance, specific quality of fat (higher rate of unsaturated fatty acids against saturated fatty acids) and appreciated taste of meat, but not very prolific and with lower weight gain per time unit toward his commercial conspecifics.
Key Words: Rustic gene, Sus scrofa ferus, Sus scrofa domesticus, Mangalica, Mangalita.
Introduction. There are a high number of swine breeds reared in conventional farming so called "high maintenance" breeds which require regular, prophylactic measures and concentrated feeds with high carbon footprint to exteriorize their genetic potential. These kinds of breeds are unable to fulfill their potential performance in organic agriculture system. But there is some breeds adapt well to these systems; especially local/native ones since they utilize lower quality feed (low cost, unprocessed), they are more resilient to climatic amplitude, and are more resistant to local parasites and diseases (rustic character). Although the breeding process has to focus on the market demands (mass or niche production) (Ichim 2012; Van Diepen et al 2007).
"The choice of breeds/breeding used in the organic livestock sector needs to ensure the profitability of the farm, safeguard animal health and welfare, focus on conserving genetic diversity, and promote human health. 'Genotype x environment' interactions are important, especially when animals are reared under specific environmental conditions (such as organic production or conservation use). When animals are genetically adapted to specific/extreme conditions, they will be more productive and production costs will be lower. It is important to conserve, develop and utilize local breeds that are genetically adapted to their environment" (Ichim 2012).
In this context come into the Mangalitsa breed which is experiencing his new age renaissance do to the "slow food" trend (Petrescu-Mag 2009).
The Hungarian Blonde Mangalitsa (Figure 1) was created in the 1830's usig that time local stock and the Sumadia swine from Serbia, applying a...