LEAF Speak Out: Difficult Questions - Pigs

What happens to the piglets when they grow up? How do you turn them into meat?

Pigs are reared for pork. They are reared for either pork or pork products, such as sausages, or bacon. Some are kept as breeding sows.

Why do you keep your pigs indoors?

Some pigs are kept outdoors but many larger producers will keep them indoors as it makes more economic sense. We can control the quality and quantity of what they eat in order to meet the requirements of the retailers. They are also not exposed to extremes of climate, as pigs can get sunburnt. Their muck is fantastic fertiliser and we can reclaim it easily and spread it on our fields to help our crops grow healthily and nutritionally.

What happens to the piglets when they grow up? How do you turn them into meat?

Pigs are reared for pork. They are reared for either pork, pork products, such as sausages, or bacon.

Why do you keep pigs in sheds all the time?

Pigs are sensitive to the cold and wet weather, and also the heat, so we keep them sheltered in a temperature-controlled environment.

Why do your pigs sleep on hard floors?

The slatted floors pigs sleep on mean that we can keep them clean and dry, as well as healthy. The houses they are kept in are warm and dry and they are comfortable and well cared for. Pig farming also requires us, as farmers to keep our costs very low, this is another way of ensuring that we can produce to the prices consumers are willing to pay.