What do you think of straw and pigs?

[Tierwohl]

is automatic dedusting working?

 

[Matt]

the pigs like to play with the straw.

 

[beefandsleep]

Doesn’t make a very strong house, losses to predation are likely to be high.

 

[l'ordinary bonville]

I like straw incorporated.
Add slurry and you've got a low labour/diesel way of looking after the soil without compaction issues.

Keeping pigs on straw is best left to those who like to keep pigs on straw, have a redundant loader, time on their hands without a better plan to use it wisely.

I totally accept that there is a premium for this. But it wouldn't survive without the premium

 

[l'ordinary bonville]

Doesn’t make a very strong house, losses to predation are likely to be high.

Stop huffing

 

[Pan mixer]

Pigs on straw smell nicer.

 

[Old Boar]

I would say they go better too. A nice warm snuggled pig does not use the feed you give them to keep warm.

 

[Pan mixer]

cut the second half of a quad bale in a grower pen this morning. I should have done it a couple of days ago but too busy with being a ruminant maternity worker.

Then a look in one of the second stage pens, pigs look so much better on straw.

 

[wilber]

Are you contract rearing @Pan mixer?

 

[Pan mixer]

Are you contract rearing @Pan mixer?

No, breeder/feeder.

 

[JP1]

cut the second half of a quad bale in a grower pen this morning. I should have done it a couple of days ago but too busy with being a ruminant maternity worker.

View attachment 785556

Then a look in one of the second stage pens, pigs look so much better on straw.

View attachment 785552

Nice pigs, what weight would they be roughly?

 

[Hilly]

cut the second half of a quad bale in a grower pen this morning. I should have done it a couple of days ago but too busy with being a ruminant maternity worker.

View attachment 785556

Then a look in one of the second stage pens, pigs look so much better on straw.

View attachment 785552

They look nice pigs !

 

[Netherfield]

look better like this though

 

[Pan mixer]

Nice pigs, what weight would they be roughly?

The second lot roughly 55 kg, the first lot - no idea, life is too short to weigh pigs this time of the year

 

[Pan mixer]

View attachment 786450look better like this though

I hope that they don't end up in those, I thought that they used older pig meat (ie old sows) for pork pies.

 

[JP1]

I hope that they don't end up in those, I thought that they used older pig meat (ie old sows) for pork pies.

Not much meat either - was always told just lips and a@seholes

 

[borderterribles]

Not much meat either - was always told just lips and a@seholes

Or as our local Pork pie man says of his opposition "Huh, all eyeholes, earholes an a##eholes in their pies"
Btw smart pigs @Pan mixer

 

[Netherfield]

Lips and a**eholes are for sausages, shoulders and trim for pies

 

[Pan mixer]

More pigs enjoying straw today.

 

[Marsh lad]

Having worked with pigs on slats, keeping them on straw is certainly the better way - there not as bored and they get to root about and keep themselves cool. Looked around a bit of a trial last year where they fattened pigs in the forest for Waitrose to sell under woodland reared pork and the behaviour and temperament of the pigs in that type of environment was completely different to any other system I've seen before.