Three Mangalica pigs and five goats were "ownerless" at the farm ...
Three Mangalica pigs and five goats were “ownerless” at the farm …
They were to be picked up by the butcher. The owner of Berta, Emma and Carlo had died of a heart attack. He left behind his 17-year-old daughter and his animals.
A guardian was appointed. He had already ordered the butcher for Berta, Emma and Carlo and the goats. Who cares about three seven-year-old Mangalitza pigs and five goats?
Saw, heard and traded
A very animal-loving man was at the farm just as the butcher drove up to load the animals. What was going on? Why would the animals die? The man bought the animals on the spot and managed to keep them on the farm for another two months, allowing him to look after them. The aim was to find a new home for Berta, Emma, Carlo and the goats. The man and an animal-loving lady thought together about how to proceed.
The future didn’t look rosy for Berta, Emma and Carlo
The goats found a place to stay for life with the lady, but it was somehow impossible to find a “forever home” for the three Mangalitza pigs. Nevertheless, isn’t it true that there is always a solution for (almost) everything?
The pressure from the guardian increased and the animals had to leave the farm. Dieter Ehrengruber promised Berta, Emma and Carlo a new home for life at Gut Aiderbichl Henndorf. His motto has always been: “There’s no such thing as can’t!”.
And now they are here and enjoying their lives. The three are not yet free-range and are relaxing in a pig enclosure near our pig palace. Roberta, one of our pigs, has been roaming around this enclosure for days and making eyes at Carlo. The donkeys, ponies and goats also keep stopping by the new arrivals at the enclosure fence and you wonder what they are talking about?
Where does the Mangalitza pig actually come from?
This beautiful pig breed has been around since the middle of the 19th century. The Hungarians crossed the Hungarian Landrace pig with the Serbian Sumadia pig to create the Mangalitza. It is characterised by curly, woolly bristles. They can be blonde, red or black in colour. The belly is cream-coloured, the rest of the skin on the body is slate grey, the snout disc, the claws, the anus and the skin around the eyes are black. The ears hang forward and another important characteristic are the strong legs of the Mangalitzas.
Growing health awareness threatened the woolly pigs
Since the end of the Second World War, Mangalitza pigs have been threatened with extinction as people became more health-conscious and wanted lean meat. In addition, the Mangalitza needs plenty of room to move around, otherwise the females may have fewer or no more young. Since the end of the 1990s, the population of this great pig breed has been secured again.
6 funny Mangalitsa pig’s eyes look to a bright future
The sad fate that almost befell Berta, Emma and Carlo after the death of their owner did not materialise. Once again, people have looked and not looked away, thus ensuring the survival of this wonderful breed of pig.
We hope that the three special pigs will also be able to go free-range and enjoy a marvellous wallow in the pigs’ wellness area together with Roberta, Bables and Bernadette.
