How to Get Started in Small Scale Swine Raising

There has been a continued interest in pastured and woodlot pig rearing in the last few years. This class will review best management practices for raising pigs, and discuss some of the ways that producers can integrate pigs into their current production system or design a new system that suits their specific needs and resources. Whether you're interested in beginning a 4-H project, putting the pig’s powerful noses to work improving your property, or raising your own pork products, this class will review the basics of getting started. 

 

CCE Livestock Educator, Jason Detzel, who has years of experience raising pigs on his own property, will cover the basics of caring for pigs including: 

 

• Learning your town rules and regulations for keeping pigs

• Pastured/ woodlot program design

• Housing, feeding, and watering needs

• Best practices for pig health and management

• Weather and predator concerns

• The use of alternative feeds

• Marketing your animals

• Fencing needs 

Video: Swine Industry Advances: Biodigesters Lower Emissions and Increase Profits

Analysis of greenhouse gas (GHG emissions) in the Canadian swine sector found that CH4 emissions from manure were the largest contributor to the overall emissions, followed by emissions from energy use and crop production.

This innovative project, "Improving Swine Manure-Digestate Management Practices Towards Carbon Neutrality With Net Zero Emission Concepts," from Dr. Rajinikanth Rajagopal, under Swine Cluster 4, seeks to develop strategies to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions.

While the management of manure can be very demanding and expensive for swine operations, it can also be viewed as an opportunity for GHG mitigation, as manure storage is an emission source built and managed by swine producers. Moreover, the majority of CH4 emissions from manure occur during a short period of time in the summer, which can potentially be mitigated with targeted intervention.

In tandem with understanding baseline emissions, Dr. Rajagopal's work focuses on evaluating emission mitigation options. Manure additives have the potential of reducing manure methane emissions. Additives can be deployed relatively quickly, enabling near-term emission reductions while biodigesters are being built. Furthermore, additives can be a long-term solution at farms where biogas is not feasible (e.g., when it’s too far from a central digester). Similarly, after biodigestion, additives can also be used to further reduce emissions from storage to minimize the carbon intensity of the bioenergy.