Our livestock.
At Poltermann Farms, we raise healthy hogs through safe animal care, custom nutrition, and practices that protect our land and resources.
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Manure management
Because we raise our hogs in barns on concrete slats, we are able to use the collected manure as fertilizer for our fields.
We inject the liquid manure directly into the plant's root zone in the soil. Injecting prevents the manure fertilizer from losing nitrogen, an essential plant nutrient, when it's exposed to the air. It is also much less odorous when it is injected. This insures that we are doing all we can to prevent a sustainably important farm practice from becoming a nuisance to our neighbors.
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Every year we update our nutrient (manure) management plan and submit to the local county Land Use & Resource Management. There are guidelines that we have to follow to be compliant with application rates, setback restrictions, and storage requirements.
Animal health & welfare
The health and safety of our animals are very important to us. At no time are our hogs ever given growth hormones. In fact, it is illegal for swine to be given hormones or steroids.
Their plentiful diet and quality living conditions allow for optimal growth.
Regarding feeding, we consult with our hog nutritionist on the nutritional value of the ingredients we are going to feed, then create a diet.
Besides the usual corn and soy-based diets, we use pre-consumer food waste. This is product from food manufacturers that may be off spec or nearing its use by date. With the addition of vitamins and trace minerals the animals are provided a perfectly balanced diet.
Environmentally controlled barns
​We raise our hogs in environmentally controlled barns to ensure their well-being, regardless of extreme weather conditions. These barns are designed to maintain optimal temperatures, humidity levels, and airflow. With heaters and fans, we can regulate ventilation, ensuring comfort for our hogs year-round. On perfect days, we drop the "curtains" to allow fresh air to flow naturally through the barns.
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Our barns are well-lit and meticulously kept clean, enabling us to effectively monitor the health of each hog. The design of the barns also prevents predators and parasites, reducing the risk of injury or disease, while safeguarding their feed and water from contamination. Additionally, we use an automated liquid feeding system that allows us to closely track and meet each hog's nutritional needs.
The floors of our barns are made of concrete slats, which allow manure to fall into a large pit underneath the barn. This system helps keep the barn floors clean, preventing diseases that could otherwise spread in a dirt environment. The collected manure is then used as natural fertilizer for our fields, supporting sustainability in our farming practices.
To ensure the health and safety of our hogs, all of our hog sites adhere to strict biosecurity measures, protecting them from potential disease exposure.
