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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.

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.

ENVIRONMENTALLY CONTROLLED BARNS

 

Farmers who raise hogs in states with extreme weather often choose to raise them indoors in buildings where they can control the temperature, humidity and other environmental factors. These buildings are well-lit and clean, so we can better monitor and promote the health of the hogs.  We have heaters and fans installed in the barns to provide for proper ventilation, along with being able to drop the "curtains" for fresh air on those perfect days!  The barns are designed to keep out predators and parasites.  This helps prevent injury and disease to our hogs, and also keeps their feed and water less susceptible to contamination.  Our liquid feeding system is automated so that we can carefully monitor each hogs needs.  The floors of our barns are made of concrete slats.  The manure falls down into a large pit under the barns to be later used as fertilizer on our fields.   Keeping our barn floors clean helps prevent disease that the pigs would otherwise be subjected to out on dirt.  All of our hog sites have strict biosecurity practices to help ensure that diseases are not accidentally introduced to our hogs.

LIVESTOCK

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 (and poultry) to be given hormones or steriods.  Their plentiful diet and quality living conditions allow for optimal growth.  However, every once in a while a hog will get sick.  Antibiotics are only given to the hogs if they are sick.  All antibiotics have different withdrawal times.  If we have to treat a hog, we mark it accordingly and wait to ship it to market once that antibiotic has left its system.

In regards to feeding, we consult with our hog nutritionist on the nutritional value of the ingredients we are going to feed, then create a diet.  Our hogs are fed a liquid diet.  We use bi-products, such as whey, coffee creamer, ethanol syrup and cake frosting, and recycle this waste by feeding it back to the hogs.  Along with some corn, soybean meal, and vitamins and minerals, they are provided a perfectly balanced diet.  The liquid diet also provides for a cleaner, less dusty, environment for the hogs and our employees.

www.pork.org

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