In 1960, the records show that there were 49,537 pig producers in Australia and that they managed between them 211,000 sows.  That meant that the average size farm had around 5 sows each. Back then, the majority of those pig farms were free range.

Why have things changed so dramatically?  And doesn't it seem that these changes took place without most of us even noticing?

It has been such a relatively short period of time since the development of intensive piggeries that their existence is still news to a lot of people.  Many still assume that most mixed farms just have a few pigs in a stye that they feed left overs and milk to, and that these pigs are raised 'babe' style.

It was discovered that pigs could be managed so much more easily if they were confined in sheds.  You can also increase your herd size dramatically, and on a relatively small area, if you kept them in cages.

You see, pigs are extremely intelligent creatures - just ask any free range pig farmer!  Managing them outdoors takes some planning, skill and knowledge of pig behaviour.  They are capable of working out how to open gate latches, or if that fails, just lifting the gate off its hinges.  They will seek out any weaknesses in your fence design and wait until you are not looking to exploit that discovery.  They are capable of divining for water and will dig up underground water pipes if they get the chance.  You can build them beautiful (and expensive) shelters and they will ignore them and sleep under a tree.  They know exactly were the feed is kept and will make a b line for it the very first time you forget to shut the gate!

Yes, it would be much easier to keep them in cages ....   easier for us maybe, but what of the pigs?

Pigs are a herd animal and need the company and interaction of other pigs.  Sows need to be able to build nests to give birth in. Contrary to popular belief, pigs are extremely active and are not just fat and lazy.  They need space to move, exercise and forage. Yes, you will find a great big sow sleeping under a tree most of the time - she is smart enough to know not to exert herself in the heat of the day; come dusk though and she is out grazing as she will be at sunrise also.

Such an intelligent creature locked in a cage for its entire life.  That touches a nerve doesn't it?

Now there are only 1,999* pig producers in Australia with a combined herd size of around 318,000 sows.  The figures also tell us that the average herd size is only 159 sows.  Lets put that in perspective.  The truth is that 80% of pigs slaughtered are produced by 20% of the pig farmers. There are some very large facilities in this country that could be managing around 30,000 sows. Of the approx 5,000,000 pigs slaughtered each year, 4,000,000 will be produced by this 20% of piggery owners.

Based on these figures,  it would be impossible to farm them all free range.  Those companies would need vast amounts of land to do that.  Wait a minute ...  isn't that what large sheep and cattle station owners have to do?

30,000 sows.  That figure sounds daunting doesn't it?  But, if we break it down into 300 small free range farmers with just 100 sows each?  That seems do-able. 300 small farms that could once again earn a living.  Do we want factory farms or family farms?  We would be sending the pig industry backwards, but then again maybe we had things right back in 1960 after all.

The use of Hormones in the Pig Industry

Yes, hormones are still used in the Australian pig industry. Reporcin is a good example.  Growth Promoters, are very popular and used in the last few weeks of production to promote muscle growth and limit the deposition of fat.  Paylean is very popular as it is not a hormone, it is a beta-agonist.   So, the use of the description we see a lot at present, "hormone growth promotant free", is just another way of saying ' we use growth promoters, they are just not hormones'

The use of antibiotics in the Pig Industry

Pigs cannot survive the pollution and confinement of factory farms without routine doses of antibiotics and other drugs. The widespread use of antibiotics (in confined livestock production) has reinforced a trend not to manage for disease prevention, but rather to accept the costs of antibiotic feeding as a routine production expense. Most of these piglets start their lives out on these drugs. This system is a far cry from family farmers who see their livestock as an integral part of a sustainable farming system.

How many genuine free range farms are there?  Sadly, not many at all.  That's why you are finding free range pork difficult to come by.  There has been little encouragement from the pork industry body to explore free range production and research into free range is all but non existent, in fact, looking at the Australian Pork Limited website, they seem to discourage it.

What can we do to encourage more pig farmers to convert to free range?  Demand is growing all the time and some farmers are hearing the message.  We will use the results of our survey to convince them their efforts will be rewarded.

A huge problem within the pork industry is that pork meat is known, and unfortunately marketed, as a cheap meat.  Prices are beaten down even further by the importation of cheap pork from overseas.  The fact is that pigs are the most expensive of all meat animals to raise and the price should reflect that instead of driving the farmer to further cut costs and become 'more productive' at the expensive of the animals.

The intensive pork industry is on its knees with crippling grain prices due to drought and the huge increase in imported pork.  Maybe its time for a rethink in the industry.  The demand for free range pork is growing, can we import free range?  No.  Is there a demand overseas for our free range pork?  Yes.  It couldn't be that simple, could it?

Now is the time to voice your opinion on free range pigs.  We all know that there have been changes to the Code of Practice for the Welfare of Pigs and that most found them disappointing.  We don't have to accept those standards.  If you want change, you have the power to make it happen.  Fill out our survey, send it on to your friends, lets get started.

* these figures will have changed as many producers have recently left the industry