Schneebergland Schwein

 
Record Number: 127
 
Disclosure Date
Pigs have been reared by farmers in the Schneebergland region since the eighteenth century. The oldest reference to a pig farm in the region dates back to 1793.  
 

Photo: BMLFUW/A...

Title
Schneebergland Schwein
(Schneebergland pig)  
  
  
  
  
 
Abstract or claim
The rearing of the Schneebergland Schwein is the result of traditional knowledge of pig breeding and production over centuries in the Schneebergland region, Lower Austria.The specific feeding scheme results in lean pork with an unusual flavour, and which is juicy and tender.  
 
Name of product, Product class
Pork, fresh meat   
 
Name of region
Schneeberg, Lower Austria, Austria   
 
Field of search
Food and agriculture   
 
Name of information provider
Wolfgang Seidl, Markus Breineder  
 
Name of applicant for title
--- 
 
Holder of knowledge or associated resources
13 pig farmers, 6 butcheries and a slaughterhouse cooperate within the Schneebergland Schwein Region of Delight Association.  
 
Grantee(s), holder(s), assignee(s) or owner(s) of title, if any
---  
 
Descriptors
- History:
Pigs are one of the oldest animals used in livestock farming. They were first domesticated in Asia around 8,000 B.C., with their use developing independently in a number of different regions, after which they came to Europe.
 
In the region we now call Lower Austria, bones of pigs have been found in excavations of sites dating back 6,500 years. It is assumed that pigs were already then being kept for nutritional purposes, and not merely as an animal in sacrificial rituals.
 
Pigs were very popular in mediaeval times, as they supplied not only meat and bacon but also other materials that could be used, such as soft tissue, fatty tissue, tendons, ligaments and innards. Pigs were kept in forests by swineherds and fattened with acorns and beechnuts.
 
Pigs have been reared by farmers in the Schneebergland region since the eighteenth century. The oldest reference to a pig farm in the region dates back to 1793.
 
Until the eighteenth century, pigs had to search for their feed in the forests, and were only fed household waste in addition to this. Pigs would have looked similar to wild boars at this time.
Improvements in agriculture led to higher yields, however, and consequently to better feeding of the animals. It was also at this time that targeted breeding began to develop in England. Global trade brought breeds from Asia and other countries to Europe, and the crossing of native English pigs with breeds from Asia and Naples produced the first modern pig breed, the Leicester, in 1770.
 
Ignaz von Halloy first chronicled the importance of pig breeding in Austria in 1804. At that time, farmers kept sows as their main domestic animals.
 
The ‘Vermarktungsgemeinschaft Regionales Markenschwein’ (‘Association for the Marketing of Regional Brand Pigs’) was founded in 2007, and renamed the ‘Genuss Region Schneebergland Schwein’ (‘Schneebergland Schwein Region of Delight’) the following year. The association’s objective is to produce and market premium pork as part of a close cooperation between farmers and butchers.
 
Around 2,000 Schneebergland Schwein pigs are currently being reared in the region.
 
- Region:
In the context of the Schneebergland Schwein Region of Delight, the production area encompasses the municipalities of Gerasdorf am Steinfeld, Gloggnitz, Natschbach-Loipersbach, Neunkirchen, Hassbach, Landschach, Lanzenkirchen, Puchberg, Scheiblingkirchen, Sollenau and Witzelsberg in the southern part of Lower Austria.
 
The production area is situated around Schneeberg (2,076 m), the highest mountain in Lower Austria.
 
Soil and climatic conditions:
Soils consist of limestone and dolomites, as well as tertiary rubble.
The Schneebergland region lies in the transitional climate zone from the humid, high-precipitation climate at the edges of the Alps to the lower-precipitation, Pannonian-influenced climate at the eastern edge of the Alps, with its distinctive precipitation gradient from west to east.
 
The Wechsel region, a low mountain range on the border between Lower Austria and Styria, functions as a meteorological divide characterised by significantly higher precipitation in both summer and winter.
 
Summers are normally mild, and winters cold with abundant snowfall.
The annual precipitation is about 1,000 mm.
 
- Schneebergland Schwein (Schneebergland pig):
The Schneebergland Schwein includes just one breed of pig, a cross between the Pietrain and Landrace breeds (Landschwein).
 
Pork from the Schneebergland Schwein is produced by 13 pig breeders, 6 butcheries and one slaughterhouse in accordance with internal production and quality guidelines. The farmers have to be members of the Animal Health Service (‘Tiergesundheitsdienst’).
The pigs are born and reared in the region. Other than this, they may only be purchased from farmers in the region who are members of the Animal Health Service.
Even though the pigs are always produced in the region, the majority of the pigs are slaughtered in an EU-certified slaughterhouse in Ilz, Styria, due to capacity problems in the Schneeberg country region.
 
Breeding and fattening:
No specific restrictions are set regarding the method of breeding used, other than that it should comply with the minimum requirements of the Animal Health Service.
 
Pigs are predominantly kept in sties rather than the open air. Each animal has an area of 0.35 - 0.60 m2 in which to lie down, and a bay area of about 0.4 - 1 m2.
Sows and boars are kept separately except for when the optimal mating time is being determined. The majority of insemination is artificial, rather than natural. 
 
Sows produce litters of 10 - 12 piglets, weighing around 1.5 kg each, twice a year.
 
Feeding:
The feedstuff used must comply with the provisions of the Association.
The feed used consists mainly of cereals such as barley, wheat and triticale, as well as minerals and protein gained from peas and rapeseed. The share of maize is limited to a maximum of 50 %. The share of soya is around 15 %. The high share of cereals contributes to the desired deposits of intramuscular fat.
 
The feedstuff comes from the farms themselves, or is bought in from farmers elsewhere in the region, which produce in accordance with the guidelines of the Association. Since the volume of soya production required is not sufficient in Austria, however, the majority of the soya is imported from South America.
 
It is not permitted to feed the pigs human leftovers or grass silage. Also forbidden is the use of any substances stimulating growth, and the prophylactic application of medicines.
 
In addition to sow’s milk, piglets are fed a pig starter consisting of vitamins, minerals, protein, cereals and partly maize.
The piglets are separated from the sows after 4 weeks, and reared until they reach 30 kg. The final fattening phase then lasts 5 months.
Piglets receive feedstuff which is rich in protein. This is the key to the specific quality of the pork.
 
Transport and slaughter:
The pigs are slaughtered at 8 months. Their liveweight is about 120 kg, and carcass weight between 80 and 105 kg.
 
The majority of the pigs are slaughtered at an EU-certified slaughterhouse in llz (Styria) or a regional butcher.
 
The transportation of the animals is organised by the slaughterers. This has to be completed within 2 hours (from loading to unloading). Then the hogs can rest for 2 - 4 hours, and are checked by veterinarians. Devices to stun the pigs electrically are used in the slaughtering.
 
After slaughtering, the carcasses are officially checked by veterinarians and classified according to the SEUROP grading scale. Afterwards, meat from the animals which have been slaughtered in Ilz is brought to the butchers in the Schneebergland region where it is cooled at 2-6 °C in the cold storage rooms, before being freshly processed. On average, about 5,000 Schneebergland Schwein pigs are slaughtered every year.
 
Meat description:
Pork from the Schneebergland Schwein is red to pink in colour, lean, aromatic and characterised by juiciness and tenderness. The ideal intramuscular fat content contributes to the excellent taste.
 
60 – 70 % of the pork achieves an ‘S’ classification (excellent quality) on the EUROP grading scale, with the rest achieving an ‘E’.
 
60 – 70 % of the pigs supply very lean meat (about 60 – 61 % of the meat), while the rest of the pigs supply about 56 % (the required proportion according to the Trading Class Ordinance of the Federal Law Gazette, No. 111/2008).
 
Quality control:
Every member farmer of the Schneebergland Schwein Region of Delight Association is under a duty to participate in the Animal Health Service. By doing this, every farmer is committing to carry out a self-inspection twice daily consisting of a check on the well-being of the animals and the efficiency of the equipment in the sty.
 
The farmers have to perform a self-evaluation twice a year. The veterinary surgeon responsible checks the farm and ensures requirements of production and quality are being complied with. Both results then have to be submitted to the Association.
 
The committee of the Association also checks the farmers at random, as well as new member farms before they join the Association.
 
- Marketing:
Pork from the Schneebergland Schwein is marketed through the Schneebergland Schwein Region of Delight Association. At present, the meat is exclusively available in local contractual butcheries and regional gastronomic outlets.
 
- Proof of origin:
The pigs are identified with official marks (ear tags) and registered in accordance with the Tierkennzeichnungs- und Registrierungverordnung 2007 (Austrian Animal Identification and Registration Ordinance 2007).
 
About a month before they are slaughtered, the pigs are tattooed with a stamp by the farmer. This guarantees the region of origin of the pig by identifying the farm number and the sign ‘SL’ for ‘Schneeberg−Landschwein’.
 
Connection between the geographical area and traditional knowledge:
The breeding and production of Schneebergland Schwein is the result of traditional knowledge passed down from generation to generation, including the traditional knowledge and experience of breeders (adapting the management of herds to environmental constraints, selection of breeds, the know-how of the pig farmers and the nature of pork production), the know-how of slaughterers and butchers (animal transportation, experience in slaughtering, cutting and maturing of the meat), and the experience of the farmers in feed production.
 
- Utilisation:
Pork from the Schneebergland Schwein is available as fresh pork or in processed form, e.g. as bacon.
 
- Protection:
-   
 
Key Words
Food and agriculture, traditional knowledge, Austria, region, Lower Austria, Schneebergland, Schneebergland region, pig, pork, Schneebergland Schwein, Schneebergland pig, Landrace breeds  
 
Bibliography / References
- MAIER-BRUCK F. Vom Essen auf dem Lande. Verlag Kremayr & Scheriau,
  Wien, 20032, S. 144
- RÖSENER W. Bauern im Mittelalter, C.H. Beck Verlag, München, 1991,
  S. 147-149
- Beste regionale Qualität für Konsumenten
  http://www.bote-aus-der-buckligen-welt.at/content/view/1011/52/
- Geschichte/Herkunft: Von welchem Tier stammt das Hausschwein ab?
  http://www.rund-ums-schwein.at/index.php?id=geschichte_herkunft
- Industrieviertel
  http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Industrieviertel
- Ignaz Halloy: Das Ganze der Landwirtschaft in einer gedrängten
  Darstellung nebst ihrem Verhältnisse zu dem österreichischen Staate
  http://books.google.at/books?id=xJlEAAAAIAAJ&pg=RA1-PA61&dq=Geschichte+der+%C3%B6sterreichischen+Landwirtschaft&lr=&as_brr=1&as_pt=ALLTYPES#PPA2,M1
- Pflanzen unserer Region
  http://www.schneeberg.at/ferienwohnungen/index.php/umgebung/pflanzen_vom_schneeberg/
- Schneeberg (Alps)
  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schneeberg_(Alps)
- Schneeberg (Niederösterreich)
  http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schneeberg_(Nieder%C3%B6sterreich)
- Schneebergland Schwein
  http://www.genuss-region.at/article/archive/24610
- Schneebergland Schwein: Produkt
  http://www.genuss-region.at/article/archive/24612
- Schneebergland Schwein: Produzenten/Vermarkter
  http://www.genuss-region.at/article/archive/24614
- Schwein bringt Glück
  http://www.polizeisv-wien.at/fileadmin/Sponsoren-Vorteile/Rundschau/PSV_1112_08web.pdf
- Schweinezucht in Österreich
  http://www.ams-wien.at/cms/files/downloads/otherdocs/FBA%20Schweinezucht%20Teil1.pdf
- Theorie und Fallstudien zum Kooperationsmanagement
  http://epub.wu-wien.ac.at/dyn/virlib/wp/eng/mediate/epub-wu-01_e8f.pdf?ID=epub-wu-01_e8f
- Vom Alltag eines Schweins aus dem Schneebergland
  http://www.genuss-magazin.eu/index.php?id=2500%2C1218901%2C%2C%2CbnBmX3NldF9wb3NbaGl0c109MQ%3D%3D
- Von der Domestikation der Schweine zur Entwicklung der heutigen
  Rassen in Deutschland
  http://www.g-e-h.de/geh-schweine/11-domest.htm
- W. KILIAN, F. MÜLLER, F. STARLINGER: Die forstlichen Wuchsgebiete
  Österreichs. Eine Naturraumgliederung nach waldökologischen
  Gesichtspunkten, Wien, 1993, S. 32 - 36
  http://bfw.ac.at/300/pdf/1027.pdf
- Wiener Neustadt
  http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wiener_Neustadt
 
All internet references last accessed on 27.05.2009.  
 
Language Code
German
 
Product of www.genuss-region.at  
Ja 
 
Regional contact 
Wolfgang Seidl
Chairman of the Schneebergland Schwein Region of Delight Association Seidl Fleischerhandwerk
Rohrbacherstraße 54
2620 Neunkirchen
Phone: 02635/62636
Mobile: 0664/5202688
E-mail: office@seidl-fleischerhandwerk.at
 
Markus Breineder
Delegate of the Schneebergland Schwein Region of Delight Association
Mühlgasse 7
2620 Natschbach
Phone: 0664/8508342
E-mail: markus.breineder@ist-bau.at
 
Authors: Daniela Trenker, Eva Sommer, Erhard Höbaus
  

21.12.2011, Lebensministerium III/4