Swabian-Halle Landschwein: Lucky charm on four legs

© grothey

After training as a farmer and then studying agricultural engineering with a focus on tropical agriculture, Bühler spent a good six years working as a development worker in Africa, Arabia and Asia. This time made him sensitive to the value of local animal breeds. They are always adapted to the respective feed bases and climates. In an interview, Bühler explains: “For centuries, generations of farmers have bred animals and plants from the wild to the cultivated form and adapted them to the local environmental conditions. In this respect, we speak of locally adapted and autochthonous animal breeds and plant species. These are treasures that the farmers have produced - and not some industrial corporations such as Monsanto, Bayer, Syngenta & Co. In Germany, too, we still had a good 15 regional autochthonous pig breeds in the middle of the last century. When I returned to my home in Hohenlohe from development aid in 1984, 12 of all these old breeds had died out, including our beloved Swabian-Hall pig, which as an indigenous breed bears the proud name of the old Free Imperial City of Schwäbisch Hall. This affected me very much and I began to collect surviving specimens of this oldest German landrace. Finally, I found a good two dozen surviving Hall pigs and they were given asylum at our Sonnenhof in Wolpertshausen." From this herd, just seven breeding sows were recognized as purebred by the responsible licensing committee and thus Rudolf Bühler came to the rescue at the very last minute. Since then, the "Mohrenköpfle" have been listed in the herd book again. They owe their colloquially affectionate name to their trademark: a striking blue-black coloring of the head and rear.

When Bühler took over his ancestors' farm in 1984 in the 14th generation and led the renaissance of the Swabian-Halle pigs with other Hohenlohe farmers, they faced some opposition: "It was the first time that efforts had been made to ensure the survival of an old breed of animal. Science and research wanted nothing to do with it, they propagated an 'industrial-friendly German standard pig', i.e. hybrids, which led to all the old breeds becoming extinct and only the Bentheimer and Angler pigs surviving. 'What do you want with that old junk' was the nicest comment from the industrially oriented pig producers. Then came the phase when we were attacked because we raised the old landrace under species-appropriate conditions and without antibiotics in the feed. Of course, there was a lot of stress there, this completely contradicted the prevailing doctrine. Quality no longer played a role, only the fastest growth with the leanest meat. But our customers were delighted. The old Mr. Böhm from the then leading delicatessen, Böhm, motivated us and said: 'Now I can finally offer pork in my delicatessens again', so convinced had he been by the trial deliveries. And so the story took its course, for the first time an old breed was successfully preserved and revived. This had great symbolism and today we talk quite normally about biodiversity and animal welfare, we have become part of the mainstream of society," says the stubborn agricultural engineer.

Historical painting with country pig and Limpurger cattle

From breeding to marketing

Bühler quickly realized that animal breeding beyond the industrial methods of mass animal husbandry in agriculture could only prevail if it also enabled farmers to make a living that was commensurate with their expenditure. The result was the founding of the Schwäbisch Hall Farmers' Producers' Association (BESH) at the end of the 1980s. Around 400 family farms in the Hohenlohe region now breed and fatten this special breed of pig. The meat is marketed as Schwäbisch-Hall quality meat PGI (protected geographical indication) and is thus protected throughout the EU. The Mohrenköpfle herd has grown to several thousand purebred sows, which give birth to around 80,000 piglets per year. The rearing and subsequent slaughter are carried out in accordance with the strict guidelines of the producer association, the latter being carried out by BESH's own slaughterhouse. According to Bühler, the production of a schnitzel from a Hällisch Hall pig produces 49 percent less carbon dioxide than the production of a schnitzel from a discount store. It is a concept that ultimately pays off for everyone: for the farmer and the consumer, as well as for the animals and the environment. Rudolf Bühler is certain: "We farmers have to join forces and go our own way by reversing the value chains so that a fair income reaches the producers again. This as a 'Field to Fork' strategy from farmers, in solidarity and self-determination, with the best qualities and at the same time with respect for the animals and our creation. We expect the state to price in the external costs of industrial food production and to balance out the external services of rural and ecologically compatible agriculture. Then we farmers need the solidarity of our fellow citizens: if our valuable farm products are bought at the right price, then this type of rural agriculture is supported, and agricultural culture and ecology are promoted. Every generation has its own special tasks. My contribution was to correct undesirable developments in agriculture and agricultural culture with positive examples. And if everyone does something in their place, then we have a future. I agree with Albert Schweitzer: reverence for life – respect for creation.

If you would like to order the meat from the Swabian-Halle pork for your next barbecue – including the dry-aged version – you don't just have the opportunity to do so in person. You can also order it, like other regional specialties from the producer association, online at www.shop.besh.de.