The Porc Fleuri

It's a differentiated quality product from the Walloon terroir.

There are some years already that the University of Liege, the University Faculty of Agronomic Sciences of Gembloux and the Walloon stockbreeders suggested to dynamise the pig's sector by proposing alternatives.

The aim is to meet the interests of the producers and of the entrepreneurs of our Region by allowing them to produce and market a differentiated quality product, which could reply to a more and more exigent demand from the consumers, whilst ensuring a correct revenu to the producers. The producers who wish it, should be permitted to develop this type of production as his main activity or as a diversification one, whilst permitting to keep the "familial" character of the Walloon exploitations.

Though recognised for its daily muscular gain, for its killing out percentage of 83% in average, for its percentage of meat higher than 60%, for its low fat content, and although utilized worldwide as a terminal boar or as part of the genome of numerous boars used in crossbreeding, the trend of the walloon Pietrain pig's use was, nevertheless, on a declining slope on the world market. The main problem being its susceptibility to the stress, which causes its rearing to be more difficult and its meat less tasty.

It's in this context that since a dozen of years, the above mentioned partners, in association with the Detry group, started a genetic selection on the Walloon Pietrain pig. That one reached the development of a new line of stress resistant Pietrain: the ReHal Pietrain pig. This one (homozygote as well as heterozygote) presents all the qualities of the original Pietrain, less the susceptibility to stress. This is how crossing sensible sows with homozygote resistant boars gives 100 % of resistant piglets.
The main objective is the genetic improvement for a better quality of meat, with a high technical efficiency, in view of an excellent commercial revenue. This type of valorization should also contribute to safeguard the Walloon Pietrain breed, whilst maintaining at a very high level its improving characters.

Since 1999, it's through the "Porc Fleuri" channel that the production and the marketing of that meat - compulsory coming from stress negative Pietrain breed, is implemented in Belgium.

The Porc Fleuri is produced on straw, under natural, non intensive and controlled wellbeing conditions, with a feeding based on minimum 70% of local grain, without additive, growing factor (antibiotic…), animal meal or fat. Positive tests have been realised in 2007 regarding the nutrition of these pigs, their feed were complemented in poly-unsaturated acides Oméga 3. Products of "Porc Fleuri Oméga 3" will soon be sold.

It's a certified superior quality pig, whose meat is safe, tender, juicy and exceptionally tasty. It is marketed under the label «Porc Fleuri - Vert Bocage». Actually it is still sold as such in the following places: List of selling points Porc Fleuri

It's a recognised and protected label at regional level. All the actors of the channel acknowledge and follow a very rigorous specifications contract . The relations between the different actors in the channel are officiallized and regulated through conventions.

On top of total control and traceability, soon completed by a genetic markers' system, the characters of the Pietrain breed allow also for a visual follow-up of the animals. Indeed, as all Pietrain, its skin presents black spots (the flowers of the "Fleuri") easily recognizable. Furthermore, after the slaughter's operations, the presence of characteristic small ears confirms also the breed.

Since 5th May 2004, it could bear the make EQWALIS, following the certificate given by the APAQ-W for that purpose.