Extensive Iberian pig production grazing systems

Benito J. 1 , Albarrán A. 1 and García Casco J. M. 2

1Escuela de Ingenierías Agrarias, Universidad de Extremadura, Carretera de Cáceres sin, 06071 Badajoz, Spain. 2Asociación Española de Criadores de Cerdo Ibérico, CI San Francisco 51 1° D, 06300 Zafra (Badajoz), Spain.

Abstract

The Iberian native pig breed from the south west of the Iberian Peninsula is characterized by its full use of the natural meadowland resources of pastures and acorns. Its evolution has developed to make full adaptation to an extensive management system under unfavourable climatic conditions. Feeding in the late fattening phase, a long productive cycle under extensive management (with slaughter at over 15 months old), and the lipid characteristics of its meat have combined to enable the production of a high quality meat, especially for cured meat products: hams, fillet and shoulder of pork. The Iberian pig is a unique animal of the dehesa that has capacity for the transformation of feed to high value fat and muscle. The objective valuation of this quality and its consequences for commercial transactions between breeders and meat processors, and the application of a specific quality designation for these meat products, are two of the main challenges for this breed and its fundamental link with meadowland. At present, the Iberian pig is the most important agrarían production of the dehesa and it is exceptional in having recently shown increased prices for producers at a time when the profitability of cattle and sheep production has fallen.

Key words: montanera, quality, dehesa, meat regulation, fat.

Origin and distribution

In many respects the Iberian pig breed can be regarded as probably the most successful of the native pigs whose breeding is restricted to particular geographic areas, not only in terms of the size of its population, but al so for commercial or economic reasons. This breed, the result of Sus scrofa mediterraneous evolution, which has an historical antecedent of African origin, is widespread in the whole southwest Iberian Peninsula, in the Spanish autonomous regions such as Extremadura (Cáceres and Badajoz), the west of Andalucía (Sevilla, Córdoba, Huelva, with important herds of pigs in Cádiz and Málaga), the south west of Castilla and León (mainly in Salamanca, with extensions in Zamora,

Valladolid or Ávila), and Castilla - La Mancha (Toledo and Ciudad Real). In addition, its Portuguese version, known as Porco alentejano, whose origin and characteristics are similar to the Spanish one, is abundant in the whole Alentejo region, from Algarve (in the south) to Beira (in the north). For readers familiar with the environmental resources of the Iberian Peninsula, the peculiarities and distribution of fauna and flora in the different ecosystems provides the first clue to understanding the reasons for the success of this breed: the ecological area of the Iberian pig coincides with the large areas of meadowland of Spain and Portugal. Nevertheless, although the breed's traditional geographical distribution was valid until the middle of the 1990s, it is now undergoing serious changes. As a consequence, in areas where the Iberian pig was previously almost negligible (existing only thanks to some breeders who wanted to keep them for sentimental reasons), the numbers of Iberian pigs have now greatly increased. In areas where people raise mainly early maturating white pigs such as Barcelona, Lérida (both in Cataluña), Murcia, provinces of Castilla and León like Segovia, purchase of Iberian sows is now increasing as breeders want to participate in the production of Iberian pigs, while retaining their normal intensive production systems. This trend, instead of stopping, is still tending to increase, and now inc1udes some other Spanish regions such as Galicia and Aragón.

Sustainable Grassland Productivity 635 Census and evolution

When people talk about Iberian pigs, it is necessary to explain the changing circumstances that this breed has suffered, because the production systems which are really favourable have been underestimated. However, work and perseverance by some breeders, industrialists and authorities, have allowed, to a certain extent, restoration of the situation. Various historical references exist showing the connection between the Iberian pig and its environment, such as its presence in Montánchez and Trujillo's charters in XVI century, the regulations of Carlos V, etc., which confirm the old Iberian pig breeding and its use of environmental resources. The following paragraphs consider the events of the last 50-60 years. At the beginning of the twentieth century, the status of the Iberian pig was considered as being protected because its breeding and consumption were basic components of human diets across a large area of the peninsula. Then, at the beginning of the 1970s, several factors plunged the Iberian pig breed into a deep crisis. As a result, a there was a drastic reduction in its numbers, which put the breed's survival in danger. This disaster in the population led to a big loss in the previously abundant genetic variability. It is of interest to mention some of the economic, social and animal health factors that converged to cause the crisis. One aspect was the demand for other kinds of animal products, which caused a decrease in consumption and a reduction in the traditional family production of pigs for home slaughter. Moreover, at that time, having overcome the enormous nutritional deficiencies caused by the conflicts of the 1930s and 40s, there began several national and international campaigns, sometimes unfounded, against the consumption of meat with high fat content. The growing worry about health caused a change in meat quality objectives and the main objective at that time was reducing the amount of fat in meat products. This second aspect provoked a high selection process towards white breeds for intensive production. The proposed objective of decreasing the fat in Iberian pigs, and also increasing the growth rate and muscle yield, caused the beginning of crossbreeding out with foreign breeds, which had a leaner constitution; all of which contributed to an important fall in the amount of pure Iberian breeding stock. With this crossbreeding, people want to shorten the long productive cycle associated with the meadowland farming, thereby increasing their low economic profitability. From all of this crossbreeding that was tried out during these years, we keep one, made with the Duroc breed, even though more controlled and being aware of the current quality requirements. The animal health aspects related to the Iberian pig population crisis deserve a special mention. The most unfortunate chapter of this story occurred in 1960, when there was an outbreak of African Swine Fever (ASF) in Badajoz, a border town with Portugal. The later virus infection, and its rapid extension to the rest of the pig population, resulted in the total destruction of many herds and al so in a gradual change in breeders' customs, with very little exchange of breeding stock. This reduction stressed the population structure further and led to genetic isolation of some herds of pigs. Two further aspects contributed to the decline in Iberian pig breeding. One was the exodus of rural people during the 1950s-1970s, which affected the Andalusian, Castilian and Extremeños populations, with movements from their towns to the big urban Spanish centres that had important industrial developments (Madrid, Barcelona, País Vasco), as well as emigration to other European countries where there was a need for labour (Switzerland, Germany, France), and to Latin American countries with emerging economies (Argentina, Venezuela). The other aspect, and probably the most unfortunate one, was the transformation of thousands hectares of botanically diverse meadowland on farms to crops that were more profitable at that time (sown grass, vines, etc.) or for tree planting of species with a rapid growth rate (e.g. pine, eucalyptus). Thus the native trees, Quercus rotundifolia and Quercus suber, were extracted, the meadowlands were lost, and with them everything related to the traditional land-use systems, including the Iberian pigs. Authors who have given figures for this population fall have indicated that the numbers of female Iberian pigs decreased from more than half a million in the 1950s to 53,000 by 1982. From 1985 we have seen a re-emergence of the Iberian pig herds as a result of five basic effects. First, there was the important work done by breeders, veterinarians and animal health authorities from the various state and autonomous organizations, resulting in the gradual decrease of the effects of ASF. By 1995, this disease had been totally eradicated. Secondly, the greatly improved socio-economic conditions in Spain during in the last 30 years have increased the demand for quality food products, in spite of the higher market

636 Grassland Science in Europe, Vol. 11 price of such products. Iberian acorn ham is the one of the best examples of this trend. The third factor is related to the environmental concerns by some sections of the population, and the recognition that the meadowland is a unique ecosystem in the world. The meadowland is an example of how it is possible for an interaction between man and the environment, and provision of economic resources for the populations that settle in it being associated with an enormous biodiversity. Another element that has increased the Iberian pig value, and of its products, has been the recent accreditation of the beneficial dietary effects of unsaturated fats, compared with saturated fats. Olive oil and Iberian pig meat consumption have benefited from the return to a Mediterranean diet. As has been noted, many pig producers are replacing part of their female pigs by Iberian female pigs, or going directly into Iberian pig production and in its curing products. This has been in response to the progressive deterioration in the price for early maturing pig carcasses. Table 1 summarize the census changes over recent years (MAPA, 2003), figures that largely coincide with those for Iberian pigs, while Table 2 shows changes in the number of specimens registered in the Genealogic Breed Book.

Table l. Extensive pig census evolution.

Breeding stock of weight >50 kg Year Total Fema1es Boars Total Covered

1994 11 144,792 10,639 106,908 3,203 1995 867,058 10,449 97,858 42,479 1996 990,085 7,635 75,638 32,408 1997 945,887 7,026 70,354 39,028 1998 11295,318 12,898 134,357 69,164 1999 11660,181 14,887 169,406 97,000

2000 11 878,260 19,653 183,782 87,792

2001 21 098,026 21,898 203,853 117,859

2002 11 753,363 20,273 193,167 102,793

Source: MAPA (2003)

Table 2. Changes in numbers of extensive pigs from census returns 1988-2004.

Year Boars Fema1es Year Boars Fema1es 1988 158 3,043 1997 409 1,977 1989 475 3,856 1998 421 2,609 1990 294 1,411 1999 791 8,148 1991 185 451 2000 865 9,157 1992 403 1,646 2001 1,579 14,860 1993 514 1,636 2002 1,776 24,673 1994 817 2,263 2003 2,416 42,570 1995 276 3,020 2004 1,339 26,079 1996 381 3,897 Source: AECERIBER, 2004

Sustainable Grassland Productivity 637 Nowadays, the facts indicate about 300,000 female Iberian breeding stock (10.5% of the total herd of pig) with 2.9-3.3 million pigs slaughtered (7%) from which 400,000-500,000 (15-20%) Iberian pigs would be fattened in the productive system of the montanera and the rest would be fattened with fodder.

The dehesa

The most important feature of the Iberian pig lies in its farming system, based on utilization of the natural products of the meadowland in an extensive system. Meadowland is here defined as a forest for grazing, whose origin was the result of human action in the Mediterranean forest over thousands of years, in order to adapt large spaces of it for utilization, and then to practice breeding of pigs. The meadowland is characterized by the presence of arboreal species of Quercus (Quercus rotundifolia and Quercus suber) and herbaceous species, mainly grasses and legumes. The shrub species and other less profitable herbaceous species have been eliminated by human actions in order to make better use of the resources. Meadowlands are situated on hard and acid substrates, with rock of silica, granite or slate, which results in shallow soils that have low organic matter content, and deficient in phosphorus, nitrogen and potassium. The c1imate is Mediterranean and semi- arid, with average precipitation of between 300 and 800 mm per annum and a mean temperature of 14°C in winter and 25°C in summer. The c1imatic conditions determine the level of herbage productivity, which is characterized by two peak periods, one in spring and the other in autumn.

Table 3: Geographical distribution of the meadowland areas in Spain. A

Autonomous regions and Thousands of hectares % of the total provinces Badajoz 585 18.6 Cáceres 541 17.2 Extremadura 1,126 35.7 Ávila 41 1.3 Salamanca 244 7.7 Zamora 156 4.9 Castilla and León 441 14.0 Ciudad Real 254 8.1 Toledo 124 3.9 Castilla La Mancha 378 12.0 Cádiz 150 4.8 Córdoba 305 9.7 Granada 62 2.0 Huelva 329 10.4 Jaén 92 2.9 Málaga 57 1.8 Sevilla 211 6.7 Andalucía 1,206 38.3 TOTAL 3,151 (Source: Rueda, 2004)

This domesticated fauna inc1ude not only the Iberian pig, but other species represented by native bovine breeds (retinto, avileño, morucho), native sheep breeds (merino) or native caprine breed (retinta), although the last two occupy areas with smaller arboreal density. Among the wild fauna of the Mediterranean forest are the usual mammals which inhabit, use or visit these spacious areas (wild boar, deer, roebuck, rabbit, genet, fox) and a large number of scavengers and other birds of prey (black and imperial vultures, eagles, owls, sparrow hawk, kites). Crane and storks, both black and white, occur. The meadowland al so supports other small mammals and reptiles, and amphibians in damp areas. It thus represents a source of richness both in terms of its agricultural productivity and its high biodiversity.

638 Grassland Science in Europe, Vol. 11 The holm oak and cork oak forest in Spain occupies almost 3 millions hectares (Table 3) with densities of 30-100 trees ha-l, the average being 40-50 trees ha-l. Apart from producing acorns, these trees provide cork, firewood, charcoal and food for other animal species. The reported values for acorn productivity are very variable, due not only to the enormous annual variations, but also to variation between different areas and different trees, e.g. 300-1000 kg ha-l and 7-18 kg tree-l. A pig has to consume approximatelyl3 kg of acorns to increase its weight by 1 kg. With this daily gain, and set stocking at 0.5 pigs ha-l, it would be fattened a maximum of a million and a half, supposing that the whole meadowland arboreal area was prepared for an Iberian pig production system in montanera. Thus, several authors' attempts to give breeders and engineers objective tools to evaluate the montaneras, in order to adapt the set stocking to the acorn production in fixed areas and seasons, are very admirable.

Productive cyc1e and farming management

The variations in breed differences, including effects of crossbreeding, as well as in feeding systems (extensive, semi-extensive or intensive systems), mean that the different Iberian pig production systems cannot easily be summarized. The focus will therefore be on the most representative type of production, the acorn pig production of the montanera. The Iberian female pig begins puberty at an average age of 207 days, and commences mating at 8-12 months. The minimum mating period must be at least 25 days in order to include at least one oestrus cycle. Mating is carried out in a traditional way, with a natural mount in the management corrals. There are several boars per female group, and a highly variable number of animals with between 6-10 females board. Except on farms where people work according to classical animal breeding methods, there is no control over paternity. Although this system is likely to be retained on small and extensively managed farms, artificial insemination will inevitably replace traditional breeding. During gestation, female pigs are subjected to extensive management, using the available natural resources in the course of the year. Therefore, they will be supplemented to a greater or lesser extent (from 1 to 2.5 kg day l), depending on the period of the year and their productive state. Parturition (farrowing) occurs in groups having similar stages of development. During the lactation period the sows are kept, whenever possible, in corrals adjoining the farrowing house, where they continue making use for the available pastures, or they stay in the camping area if that is the chosen system. One characteristic of the Iberian female pig is its low prolificacy. Table 4 shows the accumulated details for two herds of pigs from public property: Valdesequera, property of Junta de Extremadura and Dehesón del Encinar, which belongs to Junta de Castilla - La Mancha.

Table 4. Total numbers of piglets born, and total live-piglet births, in two public herds.

VALDESEQUERA DEHESÓN DEL ENCINAR Total alive Pig litter size Total born Total alive born Pig litter size Total born born 1 7.97 7.26 1 7.25 7.03 2 8.33 7.72 2 7.91 7.68 3 8.41 7.52 3 8.65 8.31 4 8.75 7.79 >3 9.01 8.49 5 8.87 7.63 >5 8.95 7.74

When the management is totally extensive, the animals are kept loose in the field in areas adjacent to livestock accommodations for the transition from piglet to shearling (103.5-115 kg), ready to go into the montanera stage). This arrangement enables the piglets to make better use of natural pastures. The main

Sustainable Grassland Productivity 639 farrowing periods are in the months of November-December (piglets then called navideños or yerbizos), May-June (agostones) or February-March (marceños). Moreover, due to the higher commercial value of the pigs fattened in a whole montanera and in relation to the wooded area of each farm and the acorn yield in each season, the farrowing season is timed to produce animal s that can take part in this type of fattening system, with an age or 12-18 months and an initial weight of 90-1 00 kg. The breeding season includes the phase from birth to weaning, and a second phase, from weaning to 23-25 kg. In the most extensive systems, weaning can last up to 8 weeks, but in the most intensive ones it is reduced to 3-4 weeks. The 15-20-day-old piglets begin to take increasing amounts of protein concentrate supplement, from 100 g day.l initially, increasing to 1 kg day l by the end of this weaning period. Castration of both males and females is carried out in the early ages. The rearing stage lasts until weight reaches 100-105 kg. In the most extensive systems there are two phases: the first until 60-70 kg at 8-10 months old (tuskers), and the second until about 100-105 kg (shearlings). This last phase is crucial to get the animal ready for the montanera. It is such an important stage that some authors consider it as a different phase of the rearing stage, referred to as the premontanera, for which the objective is to attain an optimum stage of development which lets the pigs manage themselves correctly in the montanera and acquire enough weight before slaughter. The basic feeding consists of concentrate feeds, combined with making good use of available natural resources including pastures, sown fields, stubbles and fallow lands. The final, and most characteristic stage of Iberian pig production is the montanera. In the montanera the pigs feed on acorns on the ground below the oak trees, both Quercus rotundifolia and Q. suber. This phase usuaIly begins in October but its most important period is between November and January. The pig begins the montanera at 90-120 kg live weight and three months later it finishes this period at 150-158 kg live weight. Acorn consumption per animal is related to its weight, the average being 6-10 kg of acorns per animal per day, with an additional intake of at least 3 kg of grass. It is usually necessary to consume 10-15 kg of acorns for each 1 kg gain in live weight, and the daily weight gain is typically 0.5-1 kg day-l. This weight increase is appropriate for animals that enter the montanera stage when more than one year old. The montanera is conditioned by numerous factors including: • Acorn abundance. • Acorn maturity. • Quality and quantity of fresh grass as protein and vitamin supplement. • Flat areas or areas with relatively smooth differences in height, because hilly areas can result in exercise involving energy expenditure and wasted fruit. • Existence of drinking areas and appropriate shelters.

On most of the farms where pigs were formerly put on to the montanera for a period of 90-100 days, this is reduced nowadays to 60-70 days, with a weight increase of 45-50 kg. This allows for an increase in set stocking. Although it is arguable whether this management adversely affects the final quality of the meat products, the higher pressure on the meadowland can cause damage in the long term. Thus, the excessive numbers of pigs results in it being no longer possible to make use of acorns in ways that enable natural regeneration, needed for the long-term management of meadowland and the conservation of the wooded areas. Under these circumstances the forest trees are growing old without any possibility of recovery. For this reason subsidies are now becoming available for the meadowland areas to encourage reforestation and regeneration programmes. The acorn is the basic food of the montanera. The pig does not take the whole acorn; it rejects fibrous material that is unusable and this represents approximately 27% of the acorn weight. The moisture content of the pulp is about 40%. Expressed as a proportion of dry matter, the nutrient content of acorn pulp is of low protein concentration (about 5- 6%), with a high amylaceous substances content (more than 50 % in starch) and 9.1 % of fat; all of this makes the acorn a very high energy food. The amounts of acorns available are, in many cases, insufficient to obtain commercial weights in the herd of pigs. In these cases a system for finishing is used known as recebo, which consists of giving the pig a supply of an additional specific feed. This is provided either as a small daily amount during the whole montanera (called “dessert”, at 1 or 2 kg day l per animal) or concentrating the full supply at the end of the period (at 4-5 kg day l per animal). The second system is more appropriate than the first one,

640 Grassland Science in Europe, Vol. 11 and it is the real recebo, whereas the first one has as an objective to increase the set stocking without losing the acorn guarantee for the products, as described in the previous section on quality regulation. Features and variations in the farming system, including the time of year when the piglets are born, the season when fattening takes place, or because the amount of acorn is minimal, mean that it is not always possible to provide acorns in sufficient quantity for the system to be classed at least, as recebo. On those occasions, the fattening takes place on a real extensive system, with a maximum number of pigs per hectare, making good use of the resources available at that time (pastures, stubbles, etc) with a daily supply of appropriate commercial feeds. Moreover, attempts are made to ensure the animals obtain some exercise by putting the drinkers far away from the feeding area. As a result of this kind of management it is usual to describe the pig as a “countryside” or “extensive” pig.

The quality evaluation system

The high and recognized quality of the Iberian pig curing products is the result of a combination of factors, all working together. If we take into account only the raw material (excluding the later curing process), the breed, the age, the feeding and the exercise are four of these quality factors. Having a pure Iberian pig breed rather than a crossbreed, a pig raised in montanera as opposed to a pig raised in an intensive system, pigs aged 18 months old at the time of slaughter as opposed to ones only 10 months, and pigs that are able to exercise (free range) as compared with pigs that do not move, there is the conviction that the more pure the breed is, the higher the daily weight gain in montanera to consume acorns and grass is, the older the age at slaughter, and the more exercise the pigs do, then the more tasty and aromatic the curing products will be. However, there are difficulties in describing this quality objectively, especially for one of the basic factors - the montanera daily gain. While there are DNA analyses that enable the identification of crossed animals or products produced by them, there is no test to determine precisely whether pigs have consumed fodder or not during the montanera, or if they have gained 103.5 or 115 kg in pure montanera using only the meadowland natural resources. The total amount of acorns consumed and the supply, or not, of fodder are basic elements required to classify the final quality of the product. There is a now a large problem which directly affects the dealing arrangements between breeder and the meat industry, and indirectly the quality-price relationship, and which is one over which the consumer must decide. For more than 10 years, the standard method used to determine the feeding type in the final fattening phase is the composition of fatty acids in subcutaneous fat. This is measured with gas chromatography, taken from samples obtained from a representative percentage of pigs from group at slaughter. Acorn fat has a fatty acid composition that is closely related to the excellent quality of the curing products of the Iberian pig. Its concentration in oleic acid is very high (60% of the total), being low in linoleic acid and in other saturated fatty acids. Being a monogastric animal, which is incapable of changing the fats, the Iberian pig incorporates them into its body tissue in the same form in which they are ingested. So the fat of the Iberian pig whose feeding was made with acorns in the montanera, is characterized by having a higher oleic acid content (about 55%) and relative low concentrations of linoleic and palmitic acids (around 8% and 20%, respectively). These figures are different not only from those found in the meat of white pigs raised in intensive systems, but also from meat of Iberian pigs fattened under the more usual intensive conditions. Each season from the Interprofessional Association of the Iberian pig (ASICI) a fatty acid profile, based on maximum and minimum values for oleic, linoleic, palmitic and esteric acid, is proposed to the Ministry of Agriculture, Fishing and Feeding (MAPA) with the aim to classify the feeding of pigs slaughtered that year. This profile is used in every dealing activity, and so it is a critical element in the commercial exchanges between producers and processors and the meat industry. The main reasons for using this technical solution instead of any other are, its simplicity in terms of having samples, the speed of obtaining the results, and the economy of the whole process. Moreover, previous studies have demonstrated a higher guarantee of obtaining correct details than from previous methods based on physical fat features, Iodine index or melting point. However, this system is enormously controversial and it leads to numerous errors. Two examples of these errors are, that the addiction of determined fatty components to commercial fodder (work has been carried out by people in the feed industry in this field), allows acorn profiles to be obtained even when

Sustainable Grassland Productivity 641 animals are really from recebo, even from intensive fattening. This produces false positives, which means that there are animals which obtain the high quality denomination, even when they really do not have it, because the products have shown the same sensory quality as the products of the montanera. This has been proven when a consumer test or a volatile component analysis (in order to find the most aromatic ones) has been carried out. On the other hand, pigs which have been fed in montanera without any additional supply of fodder, can show a recebo profile for many different reasons (sometimes unknown), such as a very disproportionate lipidic profile at the moment of going into the montanera (these established parameters are difficult to change), excessive grass consumption, unusual fat composition in the acorns, age or breed which work together, etc. In these cases, which can be damaging for the breeders, we talk about false negatives, since pigs with the highest quality go to the market with the measured characteristics of a recebo one, and it means a lower price. These problems, linked with the necessary regulation of this sector and the difficulties of controlling one product - the fattened pig which stays in the farming system for long period of time, under extensive management on a large area of land - have resulted in the Ministry of Agriculture publishing the Quality Regulation for Iberian pig products. Given the current importance of regulation, the problems which are being generated by it, and the changes that is causing working procedures for breeders, meat processors, sellers, etc., the following section attempts to summarize these aspects.

Quality regulation

On 15 October 2001, the Ministry of Agriculture published the Royal Decree 1083/2001. As a result, an important customs change was officially introduced for all sectors relating to the Iberian pig and its high quality curing products, such as ham, shoulder of pig and loin. The Royal Decree states in its preambles that ... in a first stage by means of a regulation that secures at least 50% of Iberian blood, in animals that will contribute to raw material for the products referred in this regulation (insisting on the fact that the dam have to be pure Iberian pig), one market organization is intended to be start... A fast critical-point revision of this regulation could be the following one: · The racial purity of female breeding stock (the boar can be Iberian, Duroc or the result of their crossbreeding) is compulsory. . It classifies pigs for slaughter as pure Iberian pig or Iberian (crossed). . A weight increase of at least 46 kg and a single age of 10 months to go to the montanera and obtain acorns or montanera denomination is compulsory. · It gives the recebo denomination only for pigs which have go into the montanera at 10 months and have increased in weight by at least 28.7 kg, without any feed supplementation. · It establishes one age of slaughter, at least 10 months for fattened pigs (fed with fodder) which are named de cebo. . It forces the traceability of the whole process, from birth to point of sale, either in the field or in the industry, establishing the concept of self-regulation as fundamental. · It establishes that field control of the classification in relation to feeding regime, is confirmed by the fatty analysis in subcutaneous fat (by annual agreement with ASICI). . It allows field control and the breeders' obligations and requirements to fall into the hands of Inspection Entities (regulation EN 45.004). · It confers the control in the industries upon the Certification Entities (regulation EN 45.011). . It forces laboratories involved in the fatty acid profile analysis to become accredited under the UNE-EN ISO/IEC 17025:2000 regulation. · The National Entity of Accreditation (ENAC) is to become the guarantee for the operation of correct control entities (accreditation and laboratories).

Nowadays, this quality regulation is accepted by almost everyone, although there are some hesitations and discussions, Ministry of Agriculture and Autonomous region's rectifications, defects in control entities interventions and even ENAC inexperience in this complex sector. However, it is true that this decree contains some polemical regulations such as gaps and incongruities which make starting-up more difficult. As example of this problem we can say:

642 Grassland Science in Europe, Vol. 11 . One product which is crossed is denominated as Iberian and the one which is fattened with fodder as de cebo. . The fact that both exist in one delimited area of Spanish meadowland without any reference to Portuguese montados. . It does not establish a minimum period of time that the pig has to stay in montanera. . The absence of objective guidelines that allows estimation of the montanera 's capacity, applying the same procedures for all every inspection entities. . The absence of a different feeding category called extensive fattening, the high quality of which could be recognized when compared with intensive fattening (it would enable a higher protection of the meadowland). . One recebo meaning which doesn't include the traditional 'dessert' system, so usual for the breeders. . The lipidic profile references as a system which confirms the field controls, but without fixing when and how one is considered more important than another. . The higher clarity in the minimum curing periods of these products (mainly hams and shoulder of pigs) related to their weight. At present, breeders and processors, represented both in ASICI in their respective organizations, are debating some changes in the quality regulation, with the aim of getting an agreement that can be transferred to the Ministry of Agriculture and the Autonomous regions' governments.

Complementary methods in the quality valuation

The intense debates about the possible analytical methodologies for characterizing the feeding regime, has for a long time driven many research objectives towards developing alternatives to fatty acid profiling, either replacing it or complementing it. Some research groups are working on this alternative, deepening the knowledge of it and of the flavour and sensory quality of the meat products. Some of these techniques are scientifically validated. Some of the most interesting ones are summarized in the following paragraphs: . Statistical methods with different variants for the fatty acid analysis, including every fatty acid in the model, not only the most important ones (oleic, linoleic, palmitic and estearic). · The percentage of some triglycerides differs with the feeding, and is detected in the raw material or in cured meat products. . In the unsaponifiable fractions of the fat, there are components which indicate the type of feeding: tocopherols, branched hydrocarbon, phenolic components as terpenic alcohols, differences between total phenols, etc. . Instrumental methods related to carbon and nitrogen isotopes or to measures in the infrared spectrum.

Most of these alternatives are not as simple, cheap or fast as fatty acid gas chromatography, but they can become decisive methods when there were unresolved disputes between breeders and meat industry processors. They also could become methods of curing-product control or of control methods for products that are still in the process of development. These methods could be put at the disposal of any organizations which require them, such as accreditation entities, ENAC, Ministry of Agriculture, Autonomous regions' government, etc. However, according to Ventanas (2005), any alternative technique can not make the existing techniques redundant; it has to be validated scientifically and to be based on the three feeding categories (acorn, montanera, fodder). It would be advisable that this technique should be applied to both raw material and manufactured material, and also that it was difficult to copy and finally, that this new technique makes differences between not only the feeding type, but also the components that are related to the quality. Every effort to make measurement of the final quality of the animals and their products both objective and clear, and to provide one tool that is independent of commercial considerations, as well as assuring the consumer in terms of the real characteristics of the acquired product, will be welcome by all sectors involved.

Sustainable Grassland Productivity 643 Future prospects

The evolution of the sector is strongly influenced by the success of the quality regulations, and also by the commercial tendencies in sectors that are competitive with the Iberian pig system, mainly the white early maturing pig production systems. After that, these are the key issues: . There is consolidation of the population explosion experienced in recent years. Moreover, it has kept the interest of the white pig producers in the Iberian pig sector. · Preference of pure the Iberian breed as a quality reference and guarantee, particularly in montanera fattening productions. . Tendency to use hybrids of 50%, instead of using crossed 75% (with 25% Duroc). · Movements towards non-traditional areas. . The extensive breeding recovery to produce pigs for acorn feeding. · Uncertainty about quality valuation of pigs whose feeding is based on fodder in an extensive system and, in breeding raise and fattening productions with fodder which are intensifying their system. . Increase of the average size of the farms. . Essential advancement in Iberian pig feeding and knowledge of nutrition. . Making the relation between the different fattening qualities and the Iberian pig fat composition, and making a connection with the market value. . Giving higher commercial importance to particular cuts of meat consumed fresh (loins, secretos, plumas. ..), in clear distinction from those of white pigs. . In spite of this, a large number of small farms and industries, having important and traditional components, will continue to exist and they need to consider quality as being of vital importance in order to become competitive. · An increase in the amount of vertical integration within the Iberian pig sector, with processing and supply industries supplying their own pigs from their own farming operations. · An in crease of the amount of enterprises related to the product accreditation, in the care of new market developments.

In spite or the problems and unknowns situations set out in this list of predictions, there is no any option to be optimistic, in the context of any breeding type production, respect on Iberian pig future, at least, in the middle or short term. The enormous European production of meats whose origin is an early maturing pig breed, and the decrease of their quality caused by selection for improvements related to economic profitability (growth rate, lean carcass composition); do not suggest a serious competition for the Iberian pig. Rather the contrary, the Iberian pig sector is increasing because of the white pig producers are taking part in this market. Moreover, the quality of its products, its traditional extensive system of production (making good use of natural resources), the relationship between management and meadowland preservation, its easy adaptation to animal welfare requirements etc; all of these reasons point to the maintenance of its social and commercial prestige. Even though national and autonomous authorities seem to be aware of these circumstances, attracting the attention of the EU officials has been problematic, and until now have been uninformed about the economic, social and environmental profits of this special production system. Nowadays, the profitability of extensive farming (of caprine, sheep and bovine production) is in doubt due to the revisions of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and reduction of subsidies for breeding animals. We think that there is now only one way to be competitive in the characteristic meadowland environment: convincing consumers of the higher quality of production from these environments and of the environmental benefits that are associated with this kind of management. Iberian pigs fattened in meadowlands provides a clear example of these two concepts, and it is the only animal in the European Union which doesn't receive any economic support from the CAP.

644 Grassland Science in Europe, Vol. 11 References

ACERIBER (2004) Memoria anual de la Asociación Española de Criadores de Cerdo Ibérico, Badajoz, Spain. 129 pp. Benito J., Ferrera J.L., Vázquez cC, Menaya M.C. and García Casco J.M. (2001) El cerdo ibérico: el poblador de la dehesa. In. Bénitez W. and Sánchez M. (eds.) Los cerdos locales en los sistemas tradicionales de producción. Estudio FAO Producción y Sanidad Animal, Roma, Italia, pp 71-96. Diéguez E. (2005) Monografía: Norma de calidad para el cerdo ibérico. Curso sobre el cerdo ibérico. Pozoblanco, Córdoba, España. 245 pp. MAPA (Ministerio de Agricultura, Pesca y Alimentación), (2003) Anuario de Estadística Agroalimentaria 2002, Secretaría General Técnica, MAPA, Madrid, Spain, 700 pp. Rueda L. (2004) Monografía: Manual de cerdo ibérico. Ed. AECERIBER. Badajoz, España. 167 pp. Vázquez F. (2004) La dehesa: un ecosistema con proyección de futuro. Curso de verano La dehesa patrimonio cultural e histórico. Ed. Universidad de Castilla la Mancha. Toledo, España. pp 137. Ventanas J. (2005) Métodos complementarios de clasificación en el cerdo ibérico. Ed. Asociación de Industrias de la Carne de España. Solo el cerdo ibérico, 86, 32-35.

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