The Big Questions

Why aren’t pigs farmed like sheep and cows?

The main reason sheep and cattle are able to live outside in all elements is primarily because of the heat produced in their belly. Sheep and cattle are ruminants. They have four chambers in their stomach. The first two chambers (called the rumen and the reticulum) of the ruminant’s stomach are really just fermentation chambers where micro-organisms (bacteria and protozoa) break up the plant cell material that comes from pasture (grass) and other feed-stuffs. A lot of heat is generated by these natural, chemical reactions. The function of the reactions is to make the raw food-stuffs digestible for the sheep, cattle, goats and other ruminants; additionally certain essential nutrients are synthesised in the ruminants’ digestive system in quite unique ways. Together, the heat provided from their stomachs digesting, and their thickish hides in the case of cattle and wool on sheep, add to the resilience of these animals when exposed to New Zealand’s cold winters.

Pigs are monogastric – this means they only have one stomach, so their gastric systems are very similar to ours. This means pigs need to be provided with a balanced diet to thrive – a complete mixture of protein, lipid, carbohydrate, vitamins and minerals.

In New Zealand almost half of our sows are outdoors in a paddock with huts available. The best way to provide the ideal environment for a pig is give them some sort of housing or shelter. When outside on suitable soils, sows and piglets are given shade cloth protection or a wallowing hole to help keep them cool in the peak of summer. Mud bath anyone?

Pigs thrive better on free draining soils when they are farmed outdoors. Where the soil is wetter and boggier, pigs are generally farmed indoors to avoid any potential welfare and health issues these conditions can create.

Pigs are also omnivores – this means that they eat a wide range of plants and food rich in protein. Farmers feed pigs on grains such as corn (maize), wheat, oats or barley; and other ingredients rich in protein such as soya meal, milk powder, fish meal and peas. Vitamins and minerals are needed to get a balanced diet. Farmers spend a lot of time trying to get the best quality food with the right balance to keep their pigs healthy.

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Do I eat pork from stalls/crates/cages?

Only sows are housed in stalls. The 100% New Zealand PigCare Accredited pork, bacon or ham you eat is grown in groups in different types of shelter so they can receive as much food and water as they need to grow. It is only necessary for the mother to be housed in a stall for a limited period of time, and these sows are not used for pork or bacon production.

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What are stalls and how are they used?

A stall is an individual enclosure that allows a farmer to provide individual care to the sow during her pregnancy or gestation period. NZ farmers are moving to restrict stall use to just the first four weeks of pregnancy by the end of 2012. Research has shown that during the first 4 weeks of pregnancy,  the hormone levels (progesterone) in sows reach their peak, and they can become very aggressive towards each other, for reasons such as fighting over food, dominance, or just general scratchiness. A stall protects a sow from being injured by other sows, and means a sow gets her fair share of feed and water and receives individual care from the farmer. Gestation stalls will stop being used in 2015.

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What causes a sow to behave aggressively?

During early pregnancy, a sow’s hormone levels (progesterone) are very high and when in groups regardless of whether they are indoors or outdoors, sows bully and fight to establish a hierarchy. This can result in significant injuries to the sow and endangers unborn piglets. Dominant sows prevent others getting their share of feed and water – the result: sows losing weight and losing pregnancies. Sows may also receive bad injuries, such as broken limbs or a broken back from the fighting that can occur.

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Do all farmers use sow stalls?

No, almost half of New Zealand's pig farmers raise their sows outdoors where the weather is consistent enough, and the soil free draining. Others house sows indoors in groups and some farmers use sow stalls to protect the sow. Worldwide most farmers use sow stalls indoors, but New Zealand is unique in its variety of farming styles.

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What are farrowing crates and why are they used?

Farrowing crates are enclosures specially designed for a sow to live in to give birth (farrow) in and rear her piglets until weaning. The farrowing crate has a purpose-built feed trough and drinker incorporated for the sow. The main purpose of the farrowing crate is to protect the piglets from being overlaid by the sow or being trampled by her. The bars on the farrowing crate enable the sow to lie down comfortably, with minimal risk to the rather vulnerable little piglets. To the side of the farrowing crate normally there will be a specially heated area designed for the piglets to be very comfortable and safe. They gravitate there quite naturally. The sow, which needs a much cooler environment, doesn’t need to “suffer” the higher temperatures that the piglets require. The piglets have a separate little “creep” area that they are able to go in and out from at will. The ambient temperature of the farrowing room is normally kept at around 20°C. The piglets’ requirement is more like 30°C, which they have in their creep area. The crate also facilitates good hygiene for both the sow and litter, and enables stockperson to look after both the sow and her piglets with minimal stress to either.

To see farrowing crates in action click here

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Do all farmers use farrowing crates?

All indoor farmers use a farrowing crate, as it provides the piglet the best chance for survival, and allows the sow to access feed without pressure from other sows.

Outdoor farmers use a farrowing hut, which is individual accommodation for the sow where she can rest while farrowing. Fewer piglets survive this birthing process, which is why free range or free farmed pork needs to retail at a higher price.

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Do pigs stay in a sow stall, or farrowing crate their whole life?

No, none of the pork, bacon or ham you eat is ever in an individual crate or cage. Only the sow is housed in a stall (also called a crate). On any day less than 4% of all pigs in New Zealand are in a sow stall. Also known as gestation stalls, their use will be phased down to 4 weeks by the end of 2012, and will be stopped in 2015.

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Why hasn’t NZ stopped the use of stalls?

In the Animal Welfare (Pigs) Code of Welfare 2005, the industry made the commitment to phase down the use of sow stalls from sows in stalls for their full pregnancy (as is common for most pork imported into NZ) to use of sow stalls for the first four weeks after a sow becomes pregnant.

Why the first four weeks? During this initial stage of pregnancy there are significant aggressive behaviour issues with sows. Her hormones levels are very high during this period, and when together in groups, regardless of whether they are indoors or outdoors, sows will fight to establish a hierarchy.

Having a sow in an individual pen prevents this fighting, stops injuries, and allows the sow to get a fair share of feed and allows farmers to give individual care to the sow. The phasing down to four weeks only will be completed in two years time, by the end of 2012. At present 88% of farmers already meet these targets.

This change has occurred because farmers are confident that both the welfare of the sow and viability of farming pigs can be maintained.

The 2010 Welfare Code requires that  the use of stalls, even during the first 4 weeks of pregnancy, is discontinued by December 2015. This requirement presents new challenges to ensure that all aspects of the sows’ welfare are provided for in this critical period, including ensuring each sow is protected from fighting and bullying by other sows, and receives her fair share of food, and that the farming system remains viable. NZPork is continuing to work with technical advisers and farmers, evaluating novel management practices to meet this requirement.

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Can all pigs be free range farmed?

Because it is impractical to farm pigs free range in many regions due to climatic conditions and soil types, free range pig farming is unlikely to become the major farming style in New Zealand. Most other countries in the world have (and are likely always to have) an even lower proportion of free range pig farms than New Zealand; for example, in the UK where 10% of their industry is farmed outdoors with the remaining 90% indoors.

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Are growth hormones used in New Zealand pork production?

Although the growth hormone porcine somatotroprin (PST) is registered in New Zealand, it is not available for purchase as the pork industry has decided not to use it. Pork producers additionally complete an animal status declaration in which they state they are not using PST. PST is used in may other countries around the world, but NOT in New Zealand.

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Are antibiotics used in New Zealand pork production?

Antibiotics are used only when necessary for the health and welfare of the animal under veterinary supervision to target specfic conditions. Imported pork into New Zealand does not have to meet this requirement.

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Is 100% New Zealand PigCare Accredited pork, bacon and ham better than pork imported from overseas?

Absolutely! Only 100% New Zealand PigCare Accredited pork is guaranteed to be from pigs born and raised on NZ farms, compliant with New Zealand's stringent food safety standards and produced according to New Zealand’s Animal Welfare (Pigs) Code of Welfare 2010 and free from added growth hormones.

None of the imported pork from USA, Canada, Australia, Europe or China has to meet any of these standards.

Meat retailers are audited to prove only NZ pork is being used when the 100% New Zealand PigCare Accredited pork labels are displayed on-pack in supermarkets and butcheries.

If your pork doesn’t have the 100% New Zealand PigCare Accredited label there is no guarantee that what you are buying is 100% New Zealand PigCare Accredited pork. If you’re unsure, ask your butcher!

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Is imported pork ‘welfare friendly’?

There is no requirement for imported pork to meet 100% New Zealand’s strict standards. The only requirements imported product must meet are our food safety standards.

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What effect does the imported product have on our farmers?

Our pork industry is continually asked to better the animal welfare standards in other countries but their pork products continue to flow into New Zealand without challenge. Each week approximately 700,000kgs of pork is imported into New Zealand – about 40% of the pork products consumed in NZ.

None of the imported pork from USA, Canada, Australia, Europe or China has to meet New Zealand’s high standards – the only requirement is that imported product must be processed or at a frozen temperature that meets our food safety standards.

This means that imported pork can be produced using growth hormones and/or antibiotics extensively to boost production levels.

Imported pork is often cheaper than NZ born and raised pork, many pork producers in other countries have government subsidies - NZ pig farmers have never had subsidies. Most imported pork ends up in bacon, ham and small goods – and the majority of New Zealanders are none the wiser. If it does not have the
100% New Zealand PigCare Accredited pork label, 9 times out of 10 it will be imported pork.

It is our local New Zealand pig farmer who is paying the price for being welfare-minded and using sustainable, hormone free farming methods when producers in other countries are not. As the volume of imported pork continues to rise, pig farming in New Zealand runs the real threat of becoming extinct as the industry struggles to compete.

In an effort to counteract this labelling has become a key factor. The
100% New Zealand PigCare Accredited pork label is our way of providing clarity around imports – and buying pork that shows this label not only supports our farmers, it guarantees your pork was born and raised in New Zealand and meets our strict standards.

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Why is it not possible to visit a pig farm like you can a dairy farm?

The New Zealand pork industry has the best animal health status in the world. In fact the health status of our pigs is one of very few competitive advantages over those countries that export to New Zealand and compete in our domestic market. We know that once a disease enters the pig population that it is very difficult, if not impossible, to regain freedom from that disease.

The old proverb says “an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure” and effective farm biosecurity requires minimal contact with unnecessary persons, vehicles and other animals as these can all carry diseases. To protect the health of their stock, all pig farmers control who comes in contact with their pigs. It’s not impossible to visit a pig farm - all it takes is a little forethought and planning with the farmer before you visit.

Remember pigs caught flu, even though it was called swine flu, from humans. Fortunately, New Zealand has never had a case of swine flu in its pig herd.

And please don’t assume that you can just walk onto a dairy or sheep farm either, as all working farms are potentially hazardous places and subject to OSH regulations. You can’t just walk onto a farm without asking permission of the farmer first.