This is contrary to what most people who pasture animals do - watch the forage available and move the pigs when the forage is exhausted.Ī quarter acre is 10,890 square feet, and assuming 17 pigs, that's about 640 square feet per pig. I'd guess these pigs are 150lbs average.Ġ0:10: Note that the ground is bare dirt under the pigs and around the feeder.Ġ0:13: They explain that the pig paddock is 2 acres split into 8 sections, for a 1/4 acre per paddock.Ġ0:27: "they are in here just as long as it takes them to eat that feeder" - they're not managing the forage, they're filling the feeder. In fact, the more I look at Joel Salatins pig operations, the less pasturing I see.Ġ0:06: I count 17 pigs laying along the fenceline next to the feeder. I'm going to guess that the stocking rate is again about 10 square feet of space per pig, there's a big grain feeder. In the factory farm they're using solid buildings, so it's dark, or maybe it's night.Ġ3:29: You can see a pen of pigs in there. Feeders and waterers, birds have some floor area they move around on. The factory birds are meat birds, but the basic layout is the same. It's actually pretty similar to how most industry chickens are raised - here's a picture of what a "factory farm" operation looks like. In warmer weather those hoophouses can get hot enough to kill chickens.Ġ2:54: this is basically what industry calls a "cage free" or "barn raised" chicken egg operation. From his clothes I'm going to assume that this is during cold weather. You can get a feel for his "pastured poultry" and another view of his pigs in this video:Ġ0:00 The chicken houses are greenhouse frames with plastic. Joel has talked about the feed in other areas, it's a standard corn-and-soybean based feed that he purchases from off his farm. Summary: Pigs are in pens, 10 square feet or so per pen, and fed some sort of prepared feed. He talks a lot about it, but these pigs in this video aren't what I'd consider pastured. ![]() Now this guy is famous for his pastured poultry and as a proponent of pastured livestock. That pen is smaller 10x20 or so, and the stocking rate is similar. Each pig is given approximately 10 square feet of space.Ġ1:38 you can see a second pig pen, with another large feeder, again on dirt. Looking at the panels, this pen is 20x16, and there are approximately 30 pigs in that space. This pen is providing no nutrition for the pigs at all all of their food is coming in the form of some sort of feed put in the feeder.Ġ0:06: The intern mentions that they'll be put out to pasture "when they get bigger" - not clear when that is. Joel does not use the word "pastured" on his website, preferring "pigerator pork".Ġ0:00 These are 40-50 pound pigs, with a few 60-70lb pigs in there as well.Ġ0:05: Notice the large grain feeder in the left corner of the pen, and the floor of the pen. The amount of feed value the pigs get on pasture is not clear. Even when they are on "pasture" they are provided free-choice feed at all times. While they do have access to green stuff at some point during their lives, they spend a big part of their lives in small pens on dirt. His involvement in pigs is to raise raise them from wean to finish. ![]() Joel also purchase the pigs themselves off his farm. You can see the polyface farms website here.Įxecutive summary: Joels pigs are fed a pretty standard corn-and-soybean feed mix that Joel purchases off the farm. He's outspoken and has spent years talking about agriculture. The first video I'm going to talk about is from Joel Salatin, who is a very famous farmer over in Virginia. Over the next few days I'm going to talk about some of the videos that are out there from various farmers. Pastured pork is a popular topic these days and there are a lot of people who are saying a lot of things about raising pork on pasture. Joel and pigs "on pasture" (courtesy of Jessica Reeder)
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