UPDATE October 18: At the Star Tribune, ag reporter Christopher Vondracek has much more in Furry hogs still at-large in Faribault County after DNR hunted down others. A must read, though the photo used by the editors is still not one of Mangalitsa hogs. [end update]
Note-an issue at our provider has prevented the image from showing. We'll correct the issue when we're able. Click here to see the hog breed.
Four Mangalitsa pigs--two adults and two piglets--have captured by conservation officers in Southern Minnesota.
Both Alpha Media's KLGR's report MN DNR captures feral pigs near Blue Earth and Bring Me The News' DNR rounds up feral pigs in southern Minnesota used stock photos of wild razorbacks--two separate images--from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, rather than photos of the "Hungarian heritage breed known for its docile nature and delicious pork."
KLGR reported MN DNR captures feral pigs near Blue Earth:
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources received a call about the animals on the afternoon of Sept 23. Conversation officers responded, but didn’t initially locate the animals. The following day, a few adults and some piglets were captured east of Blue Earth. The pigs were turned over to the division of Fish and Wildlife for testing.
According to the DNR, the hogs escaped from a stockyard and went unreported. The piglets suggest some breeding occurred. In Minnesota, it’s illegal to possess, release, or allow feral swine to run at large. Doing so could result in a misdemeanor conviction and/or fines.
Swine are not native to North America and can be particularly destructive to an ecosystem if allowed to persist. Unchecked, they can create crop damage and foul water supplies. . .
DNR information officer Dan Ruiter identified the breed of pig after Bluestem asked.
Now, as a graduate of the University of Arkansas, I treasure my hog hat, but side with the Minnesota DNR about not wanting feral hogs of any breed wandering around. The breed isn't part of industrial pork production, where hogs quickly gain weight and head to market inside CAFOs. It's especially important for this bread to have been captured, since unlike many production porkers, Mangalitsa pigs have enough hair to survive outdoors in a Minnesota winter.
According to Ruiter, the conservation officer who made the report said the adults were "intact" enough to breed, another difference from many male industrially farmed hogs.
These are pigs for a boutique market raised on smaller homesteads and hobby farms. But it's not the ferocious razorback.
Rural Living Today reports in Mangalitsa Pig | Are They The Best Choice For Your Homestead?:
Adding a Mangalitsa pig to your homestead can bring plenty of diversity. Not only do they have an incredibly rich history, but you can also use them for a wide assortment of things. Mangalitsa pigs have a unique appearance, fabulous meat, and offer many other impressive benefits.
Depending on where you are in the world, Mangalitsa pigs are also known as Mangalica or Mangalitza. Indigenous to Hungary, their popularity boomed during the 19th century.
Archduke Joseph Anton Johanna received Sumadija pigs as a gift during the Austro-Hungarian Empire. A few years passed, and he decided to breed his pigs with Szalonta and Bakony pigs, resulting in a new breed.
The Mangalitsa is different from others, distinct for their curly hair, and is often referred to as hairy pigs. Their popularity continued to grow until their breed became official in 1927. . . .
During the 1950s, the pigs were nearly extinct due to scientific developments that found saturated fat was dangerous for humans. More people noted that Mangalitsa pork was harmful to long-term health; however, this wasn’t the case.
1990 to Present
It wasn’t until recently that scientists found that lard has less saturated fat than butter. Also, it doesn’t contain trans fats, which you would commonly find in hydrogenated vegetable fat.
Unfortunately, as these discoveries are new, they led to the significant decline of the breed worldwide. When more intensified agriculture came into play during the 1970s, raising a herd of Mangalitsa became more challenging.
They were more time-consuming to care for than more modern pig breeds, and they took up too much space on farms.
Many farmers also found that they produced far fewer piglets, and traditional farming became less popular.
As early as 1990, there were fewer than 200 of these pigs worldwide; today, there are over 50,000. You can even find notable organizations dedicated to preserving the breed, as they came so close to being considered endangered. In Hungary, you will find they are popular to raise.
Interestingly enough, what is most unique about a Mangalitsa pig almost caused it to go extinct—it’s fat.
Mangalitsa pig fat has a luxurious nature that is said to melt in your mouth, making it a phenomenal addition to meals. Its meat is also unique in that many refer to it as the “Kobe beef of the pig world.”
You’ll often find that homesteaders refer to these pigs as the fattiest in the world. On average, their total body weight accounts for 60% to 70% fat and up to 35% lean meat.
Most modern breeds, on the other hand, only have up to 50% fat.
How Big Do Mangalitsa Pigs Get?
These pigs require a lot of care and attention to grow to their fullest potential. In fact, many farms stopped breeding them because they don’t grow as quickly as other pig breeds.
So, how big do Mangalitsa pigs get, really? With proper care, they can grow as large as 400 pounds, if not larger.
As with any other animal on your farm, their size will depend on their health and diet. Mangalitsa pigs are foragers, which means they will require plenty of space on your farm to peruse through fields.
You will also need to provide them with extra bulking materials, such as corn, barley, and wheat.
Over two years, you can quickly increase your pig’s weight to just under 800 pounds at finishing weight, which offers a substantial amount of meat. . . .
Mangalitsa pigs don’t do well with modern-day farming techniques, as they are innately meant to roam. Farmers will have to allocate a significant chunk of their property to these hogs to have freedom. . . .
Certainly the four captured hogs enjoyed a bit of freedom, but are no longer a menace to Southern Minnesota. Bring Me the News reported:
DNR information officer Dan Ruiter told Bring Me The News that swine are not native to North America and otherwise pose a threat to the ecosystem.
"They can create crop damage and foul water supplies if they are left unchecked. Of primary concern are diseases such as pseudorabies, brucellosis and tuberculosis," Ruiter said.
Ruiter said that the cost of dealing with the escaped hogs was still being sorted out, as the Board of Animal Health and the USDA also have authority in the situation along with the DNR.
Could there be more wild swine threatening rural Faribault County? Perhaps, Ruiter told Bluestem Prairie. Should hunters or other people enjoying the countryside see fluffy pigs--or any other--on the loose, do not try to catch them. Instead, call the MN DNR.
No matter how tasty they may be.
Photo: A non-feral Mangalitsa hog, along with a non-feral house cat. Via EH Farms, Alberta.
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