Outlook on local pig breeds as drivers of high quality pig production-ambitions in project TREASURE

Project’s idea is a new paradigm of pig production systems and development of sustainable pork chains based on European local pig breeds which are held in less intensive systems, use locally available feeding resources and are adapted to local agro-climatic conditions. Local pig breeds provide products with typical, generally high sensory quality and regional identity searched by consumers. Despite revived interest, these breeds are mainly untapped and often remain endangered. The few successful examples in Europe demonstrate that the best conservation strategy is to ensure breed is self-sustaining resulting from good valorisation of pork products. As their productivity is low, local pork chains can become sustainable only when their genetic potential is benefited, production systems optimised and their products viable on the market. To enhance sustainability of pork chains based on local breeds, it is essential to gain scientific proofs of their genetic singularity, productive potential and product qualities, to develop genetic tools for authentication and breeding, to optimize pig nutrition and management (enhance welfare, use of local feeding resources), to evaluate their environmental impact, to assess consumers’ attitudes, acceptability and purchase intentions, and to develop adapted marketing strategies. In addition, project promotes knowledge exchange and building of functional networks among regions esp. by means of creating an ‘umbrella’ trade mark as exploitation booster. These challenges are addressed by the project and will be presented. Funded by European Union’s H2020 RIA program (grant agreement no. 634476).