A Sustainable Outdoor Pork Production Farm

Bill Tynan, Jessica Gentry, Anna Johnson, Harold Rachuonyo, Jerry Smith and John McGlone*

Pork Industry Institute

Texas Tech University

Lubbock, Texas

Objectives

• To build a research and demonstration farm based on science & consumer perceptions

• No waste lagoons; recycle nutrients • Use the same footprint (land area) as an

indoor unit, including nutrient recycling (3 sows/acre)

• Use the same labor/sow as an indoor unit• No offensive odor• Positive member of the community• Economically competitive

Consumer Perceptions

Two surveys conducted• Better Homes and Gardens (BHG) survey

of 500 readers (340 responded); by mail• Lubbock, Texas survey in meat department

of 220 shoppers; in person

% of respondents willing to pay more for pork with assurances of:

BHG® Lubbock

From a family farm? 72% --

Worker protection? -- 61%

Environmental protection? 80% 59%

Animal protection? 68% 54%

We find some consumer sentiment towards elements of Sustainable Pork

The Sustainable Pork® Farm

• 330 sows on 108 acres• Center pivot over the site• Old World Blue Stem on USDA-CRP land• Use of automated feeding• All sows can be bred by AI• PIC C-22 and Newsham lines used• A scaled-up version was started in

Colorado with 10,000 sows

Footprint of 108-acre (45 ha) site with vegetative border

Breeding

Gestation

Farrowing

Year 1Year 2Year 3

The new way to feed

The old way to feed

On-site feed bins

Breeding & Gestation

Winter

Summer

Conventional

Weaning through finishing

Challenges• Weather, particularly in cold climates• Maintenance of ground cover• Image of older outdoor systems• Parasite and microbial controls• Appropriate genotypes• Higher level of stockmanship required

Active Research Projects• Animal component

• Environmental component

• Meats component

• Agricultural Economics component (in progress)

Animal FriendlyBehavior and performance of lactating sows and piglets

reared indoors or outdoors. (J. Anim. Sci. In press).

Fender design and insulation of farrowing huts: effects on performance of outdoor sows and piglets. (J. Anim. Sci. 78(1):237.

Behavior and performance of outdoor sows and piglets inside an English style farrowing hut 72 hours after parturition. (ASAS 2001 meeting).

Heat stress in the outdoor lactating sow: influence of shade on behavior, performance and physiology. (in progress).

Animal ProductivityEnvironment

Production measures Indoor Outdoor P-values

No. sows and litters 147 140

No. pigs born/ litter 10.8 ± .10 10.5 ± .11 0.15

Stillbirths 0.9 ± .10 0.7 ± .11 0.15

Litter birth wt., kg/ litter 19.7 ± 1.35 21.1 ± 1.48 0.22

No. pigs weaned/ litter 8.4 ± .41 7.6 ± .37 0.33

Litter wean wt., kg/ litter 58.4 ± 2.96 53.3 ± 3.24 0.08

Fecal excretions

Urine

Nutrient cycle at theSP farm: N & P

Feed sources

Plant uptake

40

60

80

100

% G

roun

d co

ver

17 sows/ha

34 sows/ha

Rain Irrigation

% Ground Cover Changes over 1999

Evaluation of forages for outdoor gestating sows. J. anim. sci. 79:1139 (abstract)Effects of stocking rate and diet on ground cover, soil nitrate and sow performance in a sustainable production system. J. Anim. Sci.

78:1000 (abstract)Behavior and environmental impact of outdoor gestating sows: effect of cold weather and grass burning. J. Anim. Sci. 77:140

(abstract)

Meats Research• Indoor and outdoor finishing systems for pigs:

– Controlled studies comparing pasture and dirt lots to concrete slats.

– Field studies comparing bedded flooring vs. concrete slats.

• Measurements include: growth and feed efficiency, backfat measurements, sensory and shear force analysis of loins, color measurements, pH, water holding capacity, muscle fiber type determination.

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

0 28 56 112 143

Days

kg

Indoor Outdoor

0.000.501.001.502.002.503.003.50

Indoor- Indoor

Indoor-Outdoor

Outdoor-Indoor

Outdoor-Outdoor

a* b

aba

a

Growth traits of pigs born eitherindoors (sows in farrowing crates) or outdoors (sows on pasture).*P < 0.05

Minolta a* (red) values of loin chops from pigs born and finished indoors and/or outdoors.

Growth and Meats Data

**

**

Abstract # 1562, 2001

Conclusions

• It is possible to raise pigs in a manner that is more in sync with consumer attitudes or preferences

• Economic data are needed, but one farm in Colorado is presently producing 10,000 sows using this model with some success