Contribution to the racial study of the Uruguayan Mamellado Pig

Paper presented at the III Ibero-American Symposium on the Conservation of Local Animal Genetic Resources and Sustainable Rural Development

Abstract

In spite of the persistence in different productive systems in Uruguay of pigs belonging to the wattled pig breed, no adequate attention had ever been paid to them. The wattles appear associated to Iberian pig and to other breeds pertaining to the Mediterranean trunk, being rare un Celt trunk. This scientific peculiarity, together with productive reasons, environmental and historical-cultural reasons makes the study of these genetic resource justifiable. The Team Work of the Red XII-H CYTED Uruguay made a series of consultations and interviews to competent national and foreign informants to locate the farms in which this type of pig is established and other information that help clarify their present situation, origin and historical evolution. Preliminary information obtained that the Uruguayan Wattled Pigs (UWP) are widely distributed, living in varying ecosystems and living together with small and medium producers that have maintained the animals as novelty as well as for self consumption. Within the framework of a complete racial study the Team Work is planning to carry out the morphologic characterization of the animals and genetic study, in order to determine the distance between the wattled pig and other breeds from the Mediterranean trunk. Productive parameters and the most favourable exploit conditions for the obtention of high quality products in sustainable systems that make geographically unfavourable areas more profitable, will also be analysed.