Breed Origin
The Mangalitsa (litsa is pronounced like pizza) is a Hungarian Breed from the early 1800s. It was developed through a breeding program of crossing several old-line breeds with Wild Russian boars. They were selected for a combination of unbeatable lard production and meat quality. The crossing resulted in one of the most widely adaptable and hardy pigs to be had.
They are especially hardy in cold climates due to their thick coat of fur and their heavy fat layer under the hide. They were imported to North America a few decades ago and initially kept under a tightly controlled supply. Fortunately, some breeders thought the Mangalitsa should be available to everyone and now, although uncommon, are able to be found for sale in nearly every US state.
Breed Basics
Mangalitsa pigs are a lard breed and have been said to be the best produces of quality lard in the world. They have long legs, a long slender snout, and grow a thick curly coat resembling sheep’s wool. They are most often blonde but can be more white or red, with some nearly black on occasion.
They fatten quickly on any high-energy feed but will handle a high-forage low-energy diet better than perhaps any other domestic breed of swine. They’re known as ‘survivor pigs’ due to their uncanny ability to maintain on poor feeds and to take care of themselves.
Mangalitsa pigs aren’t intimidated as much by humans as other breeds normally are. They don’t seem to either carry the same stress genes, or perhaps lack the need to act out in stress. Some herds are more on the wild side as breeders may mix in Wild Russian Boar genetics to maintain a quality breeding standard from time to time.
They are a somewhat energetic breed, but they still love to lay down and nap a lot during the day if as long as they have plenty of food. They are roughly ½ the size of standard commercial farm hogs.
Butcher Age
While they can be butchered at any age, Mangalitsa pigs are usually butchered at around 12 months old. That is expected to produce a ‘market weight’ pig, which is about 300 pounds. I prefer a younger butcher age of 6 or 7 months. The pig will be roughly 30-40 percent smaller than market weight, but they are much more efficient on feed. Market weight is only essential if you are selling through a commercial processing market. Old pigs eat significantly more pounds of feed per pound gained.
Breed Feeding
Mark Baker of Marion, MI is one of the country’s foremost experts on the breed. He describes them as a homestead garbage disposal. In both of our opinions, they are the best breed for raising near market-weight hogs on table scraps, waste feed, and random fodder. They should have at least 12 percent protein to be healthy, but 14-16 percent is better for gaining weight. Lysine needs to be in the 0.3 to 0.5 percent range for minimum weight maintenance and 0.5 to 0.75 percent for growing pigs and for pregnant or nursing sows.
Mangalitsa pigs can grow decently on a diet of 70-80 percent fresh forage with a little grain as long as the forage is quality enough. They are known to maintain themselves on pure green forage as long as the forage has the minimum digestible energy and protein.
Breed Behavior
Mangalitsa pigs are fairly active and quick on their feet. They can run faster than any other breed I’ve seen. They have strong natural hormones and handle them well. This drives them to handle breeding, rearing of young, and foraging exceptionally well. They can be aggressive at times but it’s uncommon.
Mangalitsa pigs are not too affected by cold weather and oftentimes seem to ignore the fact that it’s winter. They sometimes leave their shelter just to burrow in the snow to make a nest outside of the pig hut. Their tall legs help them to walk in deep snow, and their long snout seems to magnify their ability to forage for worms and grubs in the soil.