www.sare.org publications profitable-pork profile-swedish-style-hog-production Profile: Swedish-Style Hog Production by Lisa Bauer Minnesota farmer Nolan Jungclaus' great-grandfather homesteaded the family farm in 1896. But a century later, the crop farm was no longer generating enough revenue to support the three families involved with the operation. Looking for an income- generating practice that would allow him to quit his off-farm job and help support three […]
www.sare.org publications profitable-pork marketing-options-for-pork organic-pork Organic Pork Raising pork organically (and marketing it that way) presents another profitable niche. In 2000, USDA announced the final standards for organically grown agricultural products, including practices that can be used in producing and handling organic livestock. Organic meats appear to be part of a growing niche market. While organic food makes up a small share […]
www.sare.org publications profitable-pork marketing-options-for-pork cooperative-marketing Cooperative Marketing for Pork Given the consolidation climate in the hog industry and the low profit margins for pork, cooperating with other producers to market meat offers a profitable alternative for small and medium-sized farmers. Patchwork Family Farms, a marketing cooperative supported by the Missouri Rural Crisis Center, rewards 15 pork producers for their dedication to 'sustainable' and 'humane' […]
www.sare.org publications profitable-pork marketing-options-for-pork Marketing Options for Pork While meat producers once sold products directly to customers, the modern feedlot-to-wholesale system sends most meat to the grocery store case. Recently, however, a surge of interest has renewed direct farmer-to-customer meat sales. While selling meat directly offers farmers and ranchers a chance to retain a greater profit share, finding a reliable, small-scale processor who […]
www.sare.org publications profitable-pork environmental-benefits soil-and-animal-health Soil and Animal Health Soil Health Soil improvement is a built-in benefit of alternative swine systems. Some producers plan their grazing strategies not only to manage the pasture, but also to build the soil for other commodities, such as feed grain or cash crops. Planning a rotation with crops that both improve soil and complement a hog operation makes […]
www.sare.org publications profitable-pork environmental-benefits Environmental Benefits Manure Management The best type of waste management in any livestock operation converts manure into a resource rather than creates a disposal problem. Many hog producers also raise crops, so manure, treated correctly, offers a valuable soil amendment. Manure from a 50-sow operation is worth about $4,000 as a fertilizer, although other benefits such as […]
www.sare.org publications profitable-pork hog-production-systems raising-pigs-on-pasture Raising Pigs on Pasture Farrowing on pasture. In recent years, hog farmers thought sows needed to farrow in confinement to ensure piglet survival. However, some criticize the system as promoting ulcers, sores and behaviors such as bar biting. Instead, producers are raising sows outdoors to allow them more space and access to fresh air and sunshine. Researchers and farmers […]
www.sare.org publications profitable-pork hog-production-systems raising-feeder-pigs-in-hoop-structures Raising Feeder Pigs in Hoop Structures Tent-like shelters that house hogs for a fraction of the cost of a typical confinement house, hoop structures are gaining in popularity as producers realize the benefits of this simple structure that resembles a giant, opaque greenhouse. Originally developed in Canada, 'hoops' usually hold up to 250 hogs on an earthen floor that is heaped […]
www.sare.org publications profitable-pork hog-production-systems deep-straw-systems Deep Straw Systems When Swedish regulators imposed stricter animal welfare laws, banned sub-therapeutic antibiotics for livestock and passed other environmental protection laws in the late 1980s, hog farmers pulled pigs out of confinement crates and into group settings. By providing deep straw bedding for groups of pigs, Swedish farmers turned manure into a solid waste, provided warmth and […]
www.sare.org publications profitable-pork hog-production-systems Hog Production Systems 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, […]