Raising pigs

Pig production is becoming a less common enterprise on school farms throughout NSW. Despite this there are still a number of schools that raise pigs as part of their agriculture curriculum.

Of these schools, there are only a few that maintain a production unit with sows, boars and growers all year round.

Alternative pig production units may use one of the following:

• Buy a pregnant sow, allow her to farrow at the school and then sell her and the piglets when they have reached marketable weight
• Buy a group of weaner pigs, grow them to marketable weight and then sell them
• Maintain one sow, borrow a boar from another local school for joining, farrow the sow and grow out the piglets until they are ready for sale.

The species-specific notes for Pigs have been revised and include changes to use of farrowing crates. These changes mean that it no longer considered appropriate to routinely use farrowing crates for the housing of sows just prior to and during farrowing and up to weaning. Schools that wish to maintain this practice must seek written approval from the SACEC. To seek this approval download Form 5, Application for SACEC approval to house production animals intensively, complete and submit to the Schools Animal Welfare Officer.

The examples of pig production units presented in this section will hopefully assist teachers manage their farms using sound animal welfare practices. These schools are only some examples that may provide ideas and options for other schools.

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