How are swine raised?

Answer 1

There are two basic methods with variations on the theme. First, is the old fashion way and would be described as "free range". The second is the confinement method.

The free range method generally requires the farmer to provide food, water, and shelter in a pasture or in a pen outside a barn. The pigs have constant acess to food and water. They wander as they please and are on their own for things like warmth and cooling. The sows farrow in a hut or A-frame and raises her piglets outdoors. The farmer has less controlover the amount of food each sow or pig eats and less control over the safety of the babies. Unfortunately, death loss from sows laying on the babies is greater. There is also risk of predators (coyote).

The confinement method requires the farmer to build a confinement shed which houses many pigs each in its separate crate. A crate is a unit of space but it is not entirely enclosed and often the pig is constantly get air and light. A crate is made of metal and looks like gates on all sides with a floor. Pigs are provided measured rations, and water and their climate is controled and comfortable year round. (at lest this is the goal) Generally, the amount of food is controlled and the sow is kept in a specific area wher she is much less likely to lay on a baby piglet. However, the risk in this system is dissease.

Sometimes a farmer has a farrow to finish operation. This means he has sows who are pregnant. He keeps and cares for the sows until they give birth and the babies are weaned. The sows are then culled and either sold or rebred. The baby pigs are given vaccines and often the tails are clipped along with the eye teeth. The males are castrated, After weaning, they are turned loose in a common pen where they are fed and watered and fattened to a market weight. At some point during this growing period, it is often necessary to sort the piglets by size. This is intended to provide for more equality in competition for food and helps all of the pigs grow more quickly. When they reach market size they are loaded on trucks and hualed to the packing plant.

Altenatively, a farmer may buy piglets shortly after they are weaned and raise them to market size. This varies greatly. The farmer may buy pigs that are already vaccinated and clipped, or he may want to do that himself.