PIGS IN BRITAIN

Pigs were first domesticated in China at least 9,000 years ago. There are references to pigs in Biblical writings as early as 1500 BC. Both Greeks and Romans ate pork and historical and legendary accounts refer to the keeping of swine in Britain as early as 800 BC. As farrowing intensified during the agricultural revolution, people moved into towns and at first their pigs moved with them. As living conditions for people improved the pigs were moved out of the city. The modern breeds of today emerged at this time when Robert Bakewell crossed the indigenous European pig with a Chinese strain.

Modern Farming

In the maternal state, pigs divide their time between foraging for food and sleeping. They are clean, intelligent animals which keep their areas for dunging and sleeping separate. These traits mean that they are well suited to modern farming. By providing a regular supply of food and adequate shelter in the form of modern housing pigs thrive and are highly productive. Today's consumer demands lean meat with minimum fat. Farmers have therefore selected those animals for breeding which are the most lean. In this way pigs have become progressively less fat to the extent that pork is now about as lean as chicken. British pigs are sold between 20 and 26 weeks of age when they weigh 70-100 kg.

		Breeds

The intensive system is the most predominant means of pig production. Large White and Landrace cross females are the most popular because they are efficient in producing a high yield of lean meat and are most prolific. The most popular breed of boar is the Large White. However, crossbred females and males which include the Duroc or Hampshire are used particularly on outdoor farms. Artificial Insemination is used on about one fifth of all pig farms.

Intensive Systems

This refers to pig keeping entirely within buildings. Pregnant sows are kept either in groups in yards, which may be environmentally controlled, or most often have open sides and natural ventilation. Individual sow stalls are currently being phased out in the UK and will not be used after 1998. Sows give birth in a maternity unit which contains individual farrowing crates. This is to protect the baby pigs which weigh little over 1 kg at birth, about one 250th of their mother's size. After weaning at between three and four weeks the piglets are kept in batches and fed a carefully balanced diet which ensures rapid growth and high quality lean meat. Drinking water is piped to each pen so that the pigs have access to it at all times.

Extensive Systems

This describes pig breeding in an open field. Since the pigs must withstand extreme conditions, particularly in winter, more sturdy, often slightly fatter breeding stock is used. Sows are fed similar diets to those kept indoors but in the form of large nuts so that little is wasted, particularly during wet weather. In summer sows must be provided with plenty of water to form wallows in order to keep cool. It is also essential to provide shade so that they do not get sunburnt. Pigs sleep in groups in small arks with straw bedding and at farrowing are provided with individual arks for each sow and litter.

In:  http://www.foodandfarming.org/. Adapted and illustrated to be posted by Leopoldo Costa.