What is Free-range Pig Farming?
What is Free-range pig farming in today’s pork production system? Simply put, free-range pig farming is where pigs are given all the outdoor space they need to express their innate behaviors and be the pigs they are. It is creating an environment for them that is close as possible to the natural habitat of wild boars, the ancestors of the domesticated pig breed.
Free-range pig farming, just like any type of livestock free-range farming, comes with a hoard of benefits for both pigs and humans who consume them. as opposed to this, intensive pig farming creates a multitude of environmental and health effects for consumers and society as a whole. The only advantage of intensive pig farming could be the monetary benefits to the pockets of pig farmers.
What conditions are necessary for free-range pig farming?
Typically, you can raise 25-35 pigs per acre in a free-range pig farm. Pigs need space to root around. Adding in more pigs would mean that they are restricted in space and may mean that these pigs are not free-range.
Free-range pig farming does not necessarily mean organic pigs; it only means that these pigs are provided with ample outdoor space. Most often, pigs cannot survive on a diet of pasture alone. But Kunkune pigs are the only breed that is able to survive only on eating grass in the spring and summer.
So pigs in free-range farming systems are fed a balanced diet though a large percentage of it can be from natural sources. They are hardly fed any meat or meat products.
In addition to space, pigs must also be provided with pools of water or wallows for them to roll on and keep cool. This is because pigs are unable to regulate their own temperature and don’t have sweat glands.
Pigs must be given ample shelter from the wind, rain and sun. They must be provided with adequate insulation from harsh weather and temperature changes.
Moreover, free-range pigs are not given antibiotics or artificial growth stimulants, unlike in intensive pig farms. Free-range pigs tend to be much naturally healthier than intensively farmed pigs, and their meat tastes better too.
Consumers are often willing to pay price premiums for free-range pigs over intensively farmed pork. They trust free-range pig meat to be a healthier and more ethically farmed option.
Free-range pig farmers, too, are willing to take the extra mile in managing free-range pigs and give them the adequate space they require and safeguard the welfare of the animals they raise. Often, producers keep a record of each pig through all stages of pig production, from weaning to nurturing and raising them.
A few advantages of free-range pig farming
The advantages of free-range pig farming, when compared to intensive factory farming, are many. Free-range farming ensures happier animals that are able to root, forage, wallow and explore to their heart’s content. Free-range pig farming methods could also save you a lot of money spent on food supplements as they get most of their diet from pastures, roots and anything else they can find naturally.
They are also much healthier than intensively farmed pigs and have a much lesser need for antibiotics and growth stimulants.
And further, one of the biggest advantages of free-range pig farming is that they are much cleaner than intensively farmed pigs. Pig waste from intensive factory farms is a massive problem that is already out of control. It has affected the health and lives of many people living around such farms. Please read this article for a full explanation of the harmful effects of pig waste on the environment.
What is Free-range Pig Farming: Summary
Free-range pig farming is the farming of pigs giving them adequate space for freedom of movement and the ability to express their innate behaviors like rooting, foraging, mating, digging, wallowing and exploring. But it also includes providing them with adequate feed, protection from predators and shelter from harsh weather conditions. The advantages of free-range pig farming far outweigh the cons when compared to intensive factory farming of pigs.
Also read: The advantages and disadvantages of intensive pig farming
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