Meat
Apulo-Calabrese
B tier
Apulo-Calabrese is a black domestic pig of Calabria in southern Italy, also known as Calabrese, Nero Calabrese, or Nero di Calabria. It descends from older Pugliese pigs of Apulia, themselves linked to the Casertana of Campania, and unites former local subtypes such as Catanzarese, Cosentina, Reggitana, and Lagonegrese into one recognised autochthonous breed. Animals are medium-sized with black skin and hair, suited to extensive and semi-extensive southern systems. Pork and fat feed Calabrian charcuterie—soppressata, salsiccia, capocollo, and nduja-style pastes—as well as fresh grilling and braising, with conservation programmes supporting small herds after mid-century collapse under commercial white breeds.
Also known as: Apulo-Calabrese / Nero Calabrese, Related Pugliese ancestry
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History
Black pigs of Calabria and Apulia formed regional subtypes adapted to Mediterranean hill and coastal farming.
Local Calabrese populations (including Catanzarese, Cosentina, Reggitana, and Lagonegrese) were still numerous as the principal regional pig.
Post-war agricultural change and later Yorkshire-type introductions caused drastic declines in pure black Calabrian stock.
Former local subtypes were considered effectively extinct as separate populations; residual animals fed later recovery.
ANAS listed Apulo-Calabrese among Italy’s six official autochthonous pig breeds under a unified breed standard.
Pedigree conservation and demand for Calabrian salumi sustained small registered herds in Catanzaro, Cosenza, Reggio Calabria, and nearby areas.