BEHAVIOR OF THE IBERIAN PIG DURING THE ACORN SEASON
- Armando´s European Food
- Feb 8, 2025
- 2 min read
Iberian pigs during the acorn season spend most of their time in the dehesa, where they adapt perfectly and find their food, water, and shelter, although regulations only require 60 days in this environment.
Studies indicate that the iberian pig during the acorn season 56% of their daily diet consists of acorns and 43% of grass, which amounts to about 1,350 acorns (7.1-8.4 kg) and 2-3 kg of grass. The latter provides protein and fiber. As the acorn season progresses, the pig initially chooses larger acorns and relies on their composition towards the end. Their actual acorn intake, after removing the shell, ranges from 3.87 to 6.45 kg per day.
Iberian pigs need water not only for drinking but also for cooling off, so farms usually have ponds or waterholes. Their visits to these sources depend on the availability of fresh grass; if there is plenty, they increase their acorn consumption, refreshing their mouths without moving. Conversely, if grass is scarce or dry, they eat fewer acorns. By law, each pig requires a minimum of 8,000 m², allowing them to roam between 4 and 9 km daily. This movement not only enriches the myoglobin content in the meat, giving it a more intense color, but also favors fat infiltration in the muscle due to increased vascularization that promotes the proliferation of preadipocytes.
In the dehesa, wild animals like wild boars coexist with the Iberian pig during the acorn season, but to prevent unwanted breeding, both males and females are castrated before the acorn season begins at 12 months. This castration, performed shortly after birth, not only prevents mating tendencies and sexual odors in the meat but also improves management in the wild and reduces fights among animals. Additionally, castrated pigs require less protein, allowing them to better adapt to the quality of the acorn. At night, they seek shelter in protected and dry areas, as the lack of a good resting place can affect their weight gain and energy for foraging the next day.
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