Bleue des prés, Porc Fleuri, and Ardenne chicken, three productions of differentiated quality in the Walloon Region
(P. Leroy 1 , Ph. Lebailly 2 , J-M. Beduin 1 , F. Berti 2 , V. Verleyen 1)
. This new concept for the animal productions, recently introduced, refers to unique products characterised by particular organoleptic properties making them easily recognisable by the consumer. Beside these characteristics, there is the notion of «terroir», that is to say a specific geographic localisation, as well as particular livestock breeds and rearings modes. These new concepts are in keeping with the development of new makes, as well as in the one of the Walloon quality make: EQWALIS.
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The Bleue des Prés is born from the fact that HORECA was importing more and more foreign meats. These meats were characterised by a very high intramuscular fat level. This trend clearly reflects the demand from part of ours consumers, who turn away from our classical production, namely the Belgian Blue male.
The Bleue des Prés was therefore not developed to compete with the market of the Belgian meats, but at the contrary, to recover the lost markets. Furthermore, this contributes in developing new activities for the fattening sector by leaving the animals in their region of origin, the Walloon Region, and by valorizing the acquis and the know how of our fatteners.
The Bleue des Prés is a Belgian Blue White type cow, having been for a minimum of 2 seasons on pasture. These circumstances lead to a darker and marbled meat, aiming at rapidly taking an important part of that economic niche, and even at replacing the English, Australian and South American meats…
In order to reach these objectives, all the elements and events concerning these animals (reared "in pasture" and fed with local cereals), are tracked with a view towards the total quality.
The Bleue des Prés, first presented the 4th December 2001 at the HORECA sector, is now available to all consumers.
The Specifications' contracts of the «Bleue des Prés» has been recognized by the scientific comity of the new Walloon EQWALIS make.
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The Porc fleuri is another product entering the differentiated quality. It originated from the Walloon pig per excellence: the Pietrain, and that since 1999. Starting from stress negative Pietrain lines at the Sart Tilman and at the Pietrain stockbreeders farms, the selection leaded to an animal characterised by a higher content of intramuscular fat, which makes the difference for the taste and the tenderness compared with classical products. It was returning also a better income for the producer, who is following a strict specifications' contract. That was the start of the «Fleuri channel».
Later, the acquisition of homozygote stress resistant Pietrain boars by the Insemination Center of Argenteaux (CIAP) allowed an increase in number and a start of marketing in some supermarkets.
Convinced of the interest of this concept, some breeders agreed to develop part of their stock starting from their spotted reproducers, born from K+ sows (Landrace genetic program of the CIAP), reaching the point of creating a new line called black K+. It was indeed necessary to conciliate the need for a certain number for the «Fleuri channel» with the prolificity constraints (to keep the level of prolificity obtained by the implemented genetic program), as well as with the sanitary aspects (no animal import in free stock farms). The livestock breeders were convinced by the proposals and the increase in production was constant.
The Fleuri is an animal characterised by black spots and small ears, which makes him totally impossible to falsify. This level of elementary traceability is quite original by its zero cost. The «% of Pietrain blood» is variable, but always higher than 50%. Due to the know how of ours stockbreeders, this percentage should increase rapidly with the selection of the black K+ line.
In order to valorize the entire carcass, the production of polonies has also started in July 2002.
The specifications' contract of the «Porc Fleuri» was also recognised by the scientific comity of the new EQWALIS make.
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The Ardenne chicken is also very recent (Decembre 2001). Characterised by a ferm flesh and a taste close to that of the Bresse chicken. He is born from a cross between the Ardennese breed and a slow growth breed, thus reaching a weight of 2 kg at 12 weeks old, coming then close to the french "Red Label" for the growth. The difficulty was laying in the growing performances, as the breed's selection criteria were concerning other characters.
This «Ardenne chicken», still keeping the typical colours of the Walloon breed, is called to be a protected label, whose rearing conditions and modes will be included in particular specifications contracts.
For the moment, only one specifications' contract is existing with the creation of Coqard, a Spinoff of the University of Liege. With its properties linked to the Omega3, that product has reached a marketing threshold that the only Ardennese breed could not bring him.
Improvements are still possible, especially at the level of genetics and selection in order to improve the feeding efficiency whilst maintaining the quality. This work is ongoing and is supported by funds from the regional Ministry of Agriculture.
1. Animal productions Department, Veterinary Faculty, University of Liege B43, B-4000 Liège –Tél : 04-3664120, Fax 22
2. Economy and rural development, University Faculty of Agronomic Sciences, Passage des Déportés, 2 – B-5030 Gembloux, Tél : 081-622361, Fax : 081- 615965
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