Pigs
From Pig to MeatA few hundred years B.C., a young Egyptian man, Anthony, lost both his parents. He went into the Sinai desert to live as a hermit. For over 20 years he was exposed to all sorts of torments and suffering, but Anthony survived. This contributed greatly to the image that made Anthony famous.
Around the year 1100, a new order of monks in France took the name of the legendary Anthony. Monks in the Order of St. Anthony (the Hospitallers) dedicated themselves to caring for the sick. They were well-known among people suffering from ergotism (St. Anthony’s fire, caused by contaminated grain). The sick were given food and medicine based on pork and pork fat.
The Order was granted the right to keep pigs. The free-roaming ‘St. Anthony’s pig’ (with a bell round its neck) grubbed around in the streets looking for food. The locals fed the pigs, as they represented a major source of income for the brothers of St. Anthony. Centuries later, Saint Anthony became the patron saint of pigs and pig farmers.
In earlier times, the pig was an important source of energy. The high-calorie food was necessary for the heavy physical work. These days such heavy work is very rare. Consequently, the demand for leaner foods has also grown. Over the years, the Dutch pig became adapted to this demand. The ideal meat pig with a low percentage of fat was developed in the Netherlands.