Oliver1 - 5/26/2020 08:46
farmertom311 - 5/26/2020 04:35
I’m not gonna throw mud at any farmer doing what works. And yes by your metrics when done correctly all confinement systems work. When done correctly other systems work too. I’ve raised hogs from dirt floors to million dollar university facilities and everything in between. I’ve seen the effect it has on those animals in extreme confinement, gestation crates ect. I’m no animal rights activist by a long shot. But if you forced me to put my sows in gestation crates I’d just sell out and quit. Heck I’ve even got rid of my farrowing crates now and went back to pen farrowing. I do think we have have a responsibility to care for animals in a humane way, now we can debate what that is, but American ag has decided what it is to them and when it comes to hogs I simply think we got it wrong. We did a huge disservice to not only the animal but more importantly the hog farmer.
I appreciate your concern for humane care. We all should make that our # 1 goal. Over the last few years I've had the opportunity to spend app 6 weeks in Honduras, up on a mountain, where the average family income is slightly less than $1.50/day. The first thing these families do when they get "disposable" income, is put meat protein on the plate. They may not have all the science behind nutrition and child development, but they know that's what they want. So they don't have the luxury of debating whether a chicken should be free range, or pigs from pen gestation barns vs crates, etc. They just want to be able to afford it.
I've been involved in "niche" pork, antibiotic free, outdoor raised, whole foods type stuff. It cost more to produce because it's nowhere near as efficient. Nowhere near. Too much death, poor feed conversion, etc. Outdoor pigs look all happy on a nice sunny day, when they get stressed due to weather or diseases, it's not such a pretty picture then. And the data tells us that happens all the time.
I'm blessed to have been born in one of the most productive agricultural areas no this planet. I'm reminded of the parables Jesus told of the landowner giving servants treasure while he was away. Some managed it well, some foolishly. God gave me resources to efficiently feed His people, to do otherwise is wasteful and sinful. JMHO
Piggies.
