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Natural Pig Farming
Natural Pig Farming
The Higher Welfare Way of Raising Pigs in Pens
The Higher Welfare Way of Raising Pigs in Pens
NPF videos
NPF videos
The short video clips below show various aspects of our Natural Pig Farming approach in action. They show pigs enjoying their lives living life the natural pig farming way.
Natural Pig Farming = Happy pigs
Natural Pig Farming = Happy pigs
The short video clip below shows a happy, contented group of pigs benefiting from the enlightened approach of natural pig farming. The combination of wet mud (we have piled in the corner to create a wallow)and the opportunity to enjoy fresh banana stalk scraps that have been thrown into the pen, and the pleasure of enjoying these within the staple 'family' group show what a good life pigs can enjoy if their needs are adequately catered for. Fresh water has just been added to the mud.
Note:
1) The pigs are totally unstressed even when feeding.
2) The pigs are quiet - there is no squealing or aggression even at the trough.
3) One of the pigs is happily sitting it out in the pens mud bath.
Creating an environment pigs can play in -1
Creating an environment pigs can play in -1
It is often forgotten that pigs like to play and run around. Life isn't about just eating and sleeping. The video below shows some of our piglets having a crazy joyful spurt around the pen responding to the music and my general encouragement to their reaction. The low stocking density and pen environment allows them the opportunity to do natural things.
Creating an environment pigs can play in - 2
Creating an environment pigs can play in - 2
This is one of our pigs rooting in the corner of our back-yard sty. You can see that the pig is happily rooting away to get to something that smells of interest in the flooring. Such rooting enjoyment is something the deep bed flooring encourages.
Creating an environment pigs can play in - 3
Creating an environment pigs can play in - 3
The joy of a deep bed floor. Here some young piglets having a good old root!
Life in a NPF pen - creating a harmonious environment -1
Life in a NPF pen - creating a harmonious environment -1
A short video clip that shows our pigs eating from the trough and enjoying the purpose built mud wallow. You can see how we have designed a very basic trough partition system to keep the feeding pigs focussed on their food rather than their neighbours. Note the atmosphere of peace and calm that pervades.
Catering for sows need to build a nest prior to farrowing
Catering for sows need to build a nest prior to farrowing
Nest building prior to farrowing is a hardwired behavioural drive in sows. They get the incessant urge to move the manipulable material around (here a mixture of rice hulls and short cut straw plus a few twigs I have put into the pen for that purpose) and will eventually create a pile that they deem a comfortable place to lie. The sows will start nest building some days before they are due to farrow and continue nest build with in increasing urgency as the moment of farrowing approaches. During farrowing they will occasionally stand up and re-arrange the nest flooring they are lying on. You can see just from this short video clip below just how important this nest building activity is for the sow. We believe that by allowing the sow to carry out this behaviour the chances of a troublesome farrowing is greatly reduced. This young gilt will farrow for her first time within the next couple of hours.
Pigs insatiable need to wallow - 1
Pigs insatiable need to wallow - 1
When we deny pigs the opportunity to root and wallow in wet mud we deprive them of a big part of themselves. Here's a pig enjoying the wet mud in our back yard sty.
Pigs insatiable need to wallow - 2
Pigs insatiable need to wallow - 2
Here is a video clip on one of two pigs I let out of the NPF pens to wander freely. Kicking their back heel up with joy they both immediately sought out sources of water and mud. This reaffirmed to me 2 things:
1) That pigs have a deep rooted need to wallow in mud,
2) That good as our NPF pens are, they are no substitute for allowing pigs to wander free range. My ideal farm would be NPF pens in a free range environment, having the NPF pens open during the day to allow the pigs the opportunity to roam outside at will.