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In a well-managed farrow-to-finish
pasture system, producers can net more than $10 per pig, according
to Texas Tech University.
Photo by Jerry DeWitt |
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Years ago, pigs foraged in pastures, wallowed in mud to stay cool
and nested in family units. Now, most pig producers raise their animals
in confinement buildings containing thousands of pigs with sows in
two-feet-wide crates. Lately, some farmers and consumers have begun
to balk at that system.
"When the current conventional systems create profound, widespread
concerns, we are compelled to look elsewhere for solutions," said
Mark Honeyman, an Iowa State University researcher and national expert
on alternative swine housing options. "The public's growing concern
about the environment and the impact of vertical integration upon
rural communities, worker health and animal welfare calls for innovative
approaches and ethical judgment in the ways producers raise pigs."
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| Why Switch? |
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Minimize environmental concerns such as water and
air quality |
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Improve hog worker health, which can be compromised
by dust and gases in confinement buildings |
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Assume less financial risk |
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Create fewer objectionable odors |
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Assume lower start-up costs |
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Minimize neighbor problems when farming near population
centers |
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Manage animals rather than equipment and automated
machinery |
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Provide pigs with access to bedding, freedom of movement,
sunshine and each other |
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Determining the Right Alternative Hog System
Before overhauling a hog production system, evaluate your resources, define
your goals and visualize what type of operation might work best. In weighing
your options, consider your buildings and what might be renovated to fit
your goals, as well as your pasture or forage options.
Consider also your location and whether you have access to processing
and markets. For more information about planning for a new farm
enterprise, consult "Hogs Your Way." (See "Resources")
The significantly lower start-up costs for alternative swine systems
may be one of the most convincing factors for producers, especially
beginning farmers who may have difficulty raising capital. Other
farmers adopt the systems because they allow great flexibility. Inexpensive,
easy-to-build hoop structures, for example, incur no debt and are
easy to adapt for other uses.
"These systems appeal to someone who doesn't want to borrow capital," said
Honeyman. "If you construct a building that costs hundreds of thousands
of dollars, you're going to produce, whatever happens. If you want
more flexibility, you need a lower cost option. In a rapidly changing
industry, why not create a system that's flexible rather than one
that locks you into a certain production system?"
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