The black Alentejano pig fattened on acorns

The breed black Alentejano pig and the oak groves of the Alentejo are historically connected. The acorns of the trees are the main source of energy when fattening-up the Alentejano pigs, supplemented by proteins they find in the natural or cultivated pastures between the groves. The fattening-up period in the oak groves is the strategy of the meat production and will remain so. It is the best way of using the black Alentejano pig and also the oak groves.

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Oak groves

The oak groves of the Alentejo are the most well-known landscape of the region; a world of its own with a strong identity, deeply rooted customs and cultural and ethnic traditions. Raising indigenous animals in these groves is an important business on a regional level. A characteristic of the black Alentejano pig  is its resilience that allows it to adapt perfectly to the environment and an inbred ability to use the natural resources. This breed is kept extensivly since the old days, it feeds on the natural resources and at the same time cultivates the groves. It fits perfectly into the agricultural system.