Pig Business Blog

I have always said that pigs take on the flavour of their environment and I know for certain that it is true. But just how much can we influence the flavour of pork?

Its common practice to feed fish meal to pigs but it didnt take long to discover that an awful fishy taste accumulates in the fat of the pig therefore you can only feed it to younger animals so there is time for the taste to leave the animal before it ends up on the table.

Its also a known fact that pigs can taken on 'boar taint' simply by laying in the urine of other male pigs.  It stands to reason then that pigs confined to tiny areas and forced to lay in each others excrement will taste just like that too?

I am sure a lot of people believe they have experienced boar taint in supermarket pork when in fact it is probably pork grown in intensive and dirty conditions.  I have smelt woolies bacon cooking and sometimes it has that familiar aroma of a pig dunging area!

I have recently relocated and have moved closer to self sufficiency with the aim of my new little farm providing as much food for us, and our animals as possible.  In just 4 months we beginning to see the flow emerging with many links in our sustainable chain coming together.  More on all that another time....  we are now seeing a lot of our pigs nutritional needs being met through our hard working chickens, the generous orchard and our own forest.

Now this is not the traditional diet for growing marketable pigs!  It is an experiment to see just how much we can influence the flavour of our pigs.  Free range eggs, organic bananas, loquots, lychees and macadamias, our greenhouse veggie  garden, plus the fruits of our forest floor.

I am doing my best to balance all this nutritionally so that we still have good growth rates and not too much fat.  A bit of guess work at the moment really.  I am still supplementing their feed with grain of course.

We killed our first pigs from the new farm only a couple of weeks ago.  I tend to be just a tad biased about my pork but it was truly very very flavoursome!  and surprisingly very lean even though they all dressed out over 50kg each.

Now these pigs did not have the full benefit of their new environment as they relocated with us.  It will be interesting to see how the pigs born here will benefit even more from this very fruitful and diverse little food bowl we now call home.

Today I received my copy of the new 'Rockpool Bar and Grill' cookbook.  Neil Perry has given me one of the greatest rewards I could hope for for my work with free range pigs. (apart from a legal definition for free range we can live with!)

I am so proud to honoured with a two page inclusion in this stunning new book. Photographer, Earl Carter, has captured the very essence of happy free range pigs with his photo that gets a full page feature.

This is taken from the book:

Pork is one of the most intensively farmed animals on earth.  Buy free range and organic pigs (and chickens).  Its much better for your karma and, more importantly, tastes so much better.

Lee McCosker, founder of Melanda Park Free Range Pork and author of Free Range Pig Farming – Starting Out, a book that now sets the industry standard for genuine true free range, need not worry about her karma.  This is her story...

You will have to buy the book to read the rest!

Lee McCosker

Tweet

This past week saw huge exposure of the RSPCA Approved Farming Scheme and the use of their Paw of Approval logo on packaging.  It also brought about questions in regard to other labels such as Coles and their claims of free range pork and its endorsement by the RSPCA.

You can listen to one of the many news stories here …..

The RSPCA has reinforced claims that labelling of some product as RSPCA Free Range is indeed misleading as the organisation does not accredit free range farms.

The RSPCA have let it be known that they feel that a pigs behavioural needs can be quite adequately met in an indoor environment.

This argument was never about the acceptability of the RSPCA standards, rather, it is about misrepresentation of their logo and the deceptive practices of those that label their product as free range when their production practices do not live up to their claims.

The RSPCA standards only cover indoor, outdoor and combination systems (including bred free range)  RSPCA does not endorse ‘free range’ farms, that descriptor is  applied by the producer themselves, in the case of the major supermarkets, the processor that is packaging the product.

The RSPCA Paw of Approval can be applied to an indoor or outdoor produced product without any differentiation which doesn’t allow the consumer to make a choice when it comes to just what system these pigs were produced under.

We pleased that the RSPCA has gone on record to clarify just what their standards entail but I do believe that they need to go a step further and take control of how their trademarks are represented.  There is a huge commercial advantage to those that include the RSPCA logo on their packaging and the RSPCA needs to be responsible for how that is managed.

What statement does this label make to you?

Humane Choice has expressed its concerns to the ACCC about the potential to mislead consumers with the labelling on Primo pork products as ‘RSPCA Free Range.'

The labelling of the pork product, available in Woolworths supermarkets, could lead consumers to believe that the Primo pork is actually an ‘RSPCA Free Range’ product, or at the very least, that the brand is endorsed as free range by the RSPCA.

The RSPCA does not accredit free range pork farms, so labelling any product as ‘RSPCA Free Range’ is deceptive.

The RSPCA Paw of Approval and logo can be applied to indoor, outdoor or combination systems and the consumer has no way of knowing which is which.

The RSPCA has a commercial arrangement with brands that carry their trademark but the RSPCA refuses to endorse small scale producers farming pigs under genuine free range conditions because they have deemed them ‘not commercially large enough.’

“We would like to see the RSPCA take control of the use of their trademark.  The RSPCA is a respected organisation and it would be awful to see it used to erroneously influence consumer buying decisions,” says Humane Choice Chief Operating Officer, Lee McCosker.  “The RSPCA charges 2% of sales to be licensed to use their logos.  There is a huge commercial advantage for producers who use the Paw of Approval logo and RSPCA needs to take ownership of that.”

The RSPCA standards allow for massive stocking densities in their accredited pork program with an average Babe size pig (around 35kg) only needing 0.51 sq metres of space outdoors.  That equates to nearly 20,000 pigs per hectare and would not meet most consumers’ perceptions of what free range means.

Humane Choice standards encompass animal, environmental and human health and promote a system of farming that is sustainable in the long term.  Humane Choice promotes realistic stocking densities, land and pasture management and does not allow for pigs to simply being put outdoors to be labelled free range.

“Animal welfare is not for sale. The consumer has an expectation of what free range means and will not tolerate being conned,” says McCosker.

This is very sad news for the pig industry no matter what production system you use.  It doesn't matter if you are for or against intensive animal production, prefer free range or believe that sow stalls are cruel and unnecessary.  At the end of the day pigs are sent off to the abattoir and here they join all the other pigs for their final moments with no distinction between how they were raised.


The Animals Australia footage of the abattoir cruelty is very emotive. Sad music and slow motion to emphasize certain parts.    Of course there is also a voice over adding to the wave of emotion that many will feel watching these horrible acts of cruelty.


Unfortunately this footage has a purpose but it is not to improve the conditions at abattoirs or to promote better staff training and supervision.  It is to promote Animals Australia's latest campaign "Pledge to get pigs off your plate".

How many people, even pig producers, have ever watched a pig being slaughtered?

How many people even think about how the pig makes that transition from paddock (or pen) to their plate?

This footage is hitting viewers with a dose of reality along with these cruel practices to deliver an almighty punch to the senses of anyone that has not witnessed the death of an animal for human consumption.  Animals Australia has taken aim, and taken advantage of how disconnected people are from the food they eat. 

There is no denying what has happened on this kill floor in Gippsland is unspeakable cruelty and shows every sign of being representative of the daily practices at this plant. What is very unfortunate is that the reality of animal slaughter will not be disentangle from this story by most viewers.

Primesafe has closed this abattoir while an investigation takes place but says that the outcome could be that their license is revoked. Do they deserve for that to happen?

Staff training, staff supervision, policies and procedures, codes of ethics, internal audits etc are all the responsibility of management.  No regulator, external auditor or accreditation body has any control of the day to day operation of such a facility.  The blame lands squarely on the owners and managers of the abattoir.

When the effectiveness of equipment like electric stunners is solely reliant on the operator there is always room for error, complacency, lack of empathy for the animals and desensitization to the whole process of killing by the slaughterman.

So what is the answer? What can be done to minimize human error or interference?  Is the answer Co2 stunning and phase out electric stunners?  It does seem like a more humane alternative to what we have witnessed in this video.

Cameras on the slaughter floor perhaps?

We have all sorts of codes of practice in place for the production, transport and slaughter of animals but in my opinion they are not worth the paper they are printed on or the tax payers dollars that were spent on their development. They are nothing more than a smoke screen to appease the unsuspecting and naive general public that don't understand.  Codes are only guidelines - not law.  We need legislation and the threat of enforcement it seems to see the right thing done by our animals.

This is only my opinion.  I would love to hear yours.

Is it worth spending your dollars on a quality assurance program?

Many producers I speak to say they don't see the value in a QA program because the demand for their free range product is so high that they just don't need any assistance with their marketing - they sell everything they produce easily.

A marketing tool is one way to view QA but there is much more to it than that.  QA offers your client and their customers an assurance that you stand by the claims you are making about your production system and have had those claims verified by a third party.

You may have noticed a few new free range programs coming onto the market.  Have you taken the time to have a good look at the standards behind those QA programs?  Perhaps you should.

It doesn't matter how good your product is and how faithful you are to a truly free range system of farming, without some sort of undertaking by you to provide proof of your claims you will be at risk of the consumer accepting the lessor product because it does carry a QA Logo.

We therefore increase the risk of allowing these lower standards to become the norm and well established in the market place.  What will that do to your business?

Genuine free range producers are the minority in an industry that is controlled by the very large players.  A good accreditation provider can be your best allay when it comes to standing up for their members and acting as an advocate for your business.
 
Thinking forward I urge you to consider a quality assurance program not only for the promotion of your business, but help establish the farming standards that we believe in as those accepted by the consumer.

Take another look at Humane Choice

I have been talking a bit about the egg industry lately because free range pork producers have very similar issues when it comes to a definition of free range.

The media has given a lot of attention to the Australian Egg Corporation's big push to increase stocking densities for free range birds to a massive 20,000 per hectare.

In an article in the Weekly Times today (shown below) the RSPCA was quoted as saying:

"allowing 20,000 birds a hectare or two for every square metre and calling them "free-range" would be "a backward step for animal welfare". and RSPCA is concerned about the impact that a stocking density of up to 20,000 birds per hectare is likely to have on the quality of the range.

That's quite a statement coming from an organization that considers 20,000 pigs per hectare acceptable.

Thats right!  20,000 pigs per hectare!

You can read the latest downgrade of the RSPCA Standard for pigs here .... but to explain, their standard states that:

"at least 1 times the size of the total shed floor area for existing sheds only where the available outdoor area is limited by the available land"

This means that each pig is only allocated the same area outdoors or in their 'range' area as it is for its shelter area.  That means that a 35 kg grower pig (half grown to porker size) only gets 0.51 of a square metre to range in.  You do the maths!   Thats just under two 35 kg pigs per sq metre.

Well, I suppose it is better than the unlimited stocking densities in the new APIQ Free Range Standard......

 

RSPCA and Coles says the Egg Corp stocking density is 'too high'

Les White

THE RSPCA has slammed the Australian Egg Corporation’s bid to allow 20,000 birds a hectare to be considered free-range".

And supermarket giant Coles has repeated it will not allow eggs or meat farmed in such a way to be labelled free-range" under its own brands, while Woolworths says it is "concerned".

But the AEC says it has a social responsibility" to feed a growing population with an affordable source of protein".

RSPCA scientific officer Melina Tensen said allowing 20,000 birds a hectare or two for every square metre and calling them "free-range" would be "a backward step for animal welfare".

Free-range farmer groups allow stocking rates of between 750 and 1500 hens a hectare.

"The RSPCA is concerned about the impact that a stocking density of up to 20,000 birds per hectare is likely to have on the quality of the range," Ms Tensen said.

The ACCC acted this week on chicken producers using the term 'free to roam' for birds housed inside sheds.  The ACCC decided that stocking densities inside these sheds would prevent any birds from actually roaming.

We all know it to be true. 25,000 chooks crammed together doesn't leave much room for activity let alone roaming freely!

Why I am talking about chickens? 

This is a prime example of just how big the demand for free range product is.  Even the big boys are desperate to take advantage and want to include the word 'free' in their marketing to boost sales.  Do a quick internet search and see how many different producers for different industries try to pass their intensively raised, indoor reared product off as 'free to roam'.

What did you find?  Yes there are some egg and chicken producers but, the majority of them are pork producers!  That majority have something else in common ...  they are RSPCA accredited.  This label is causing some confusion.  The standards have changed recently and RSPCA no longer accredits any farms as free range.  There is only indoor, outdoor or combination.  They have sidestepped the whole free range definition by putting the responsibility  on the producer for how they market their product.  Unfortunately there is a common misconception that the RSPCA paw of approval means free range.

"Free to roam in straw filled sheds or eco shelters".....  You dont have to go far to find the stocking densities for these systems.  The code of practice or the APIQ standard or even the RSPCA standard will indicate just how free these pigs are to roam.

I have been asked a lot this week what I think of Gourmet Farmer, the TV show, and Matthew Evan's latest expansion of his pig herd and paddocks.

OK .... yes I wanted to jump on his website and warn him of all the pitfalls he was headed for but, the show is pre-recorded and he probably knows them all by now!

Good on him for having a go.  Life is an adventure or it is nothing!  I am some what concerned though about the example he is setting for so many newcomers to pig farming.

Gourmet Farmer is obviously becoming a very popular show and that reflects just how many people are dreaming about their own little plot in the country.  Unfortunately romantic notions end up in heartbreak or lost money if you don't do your homework first.

What would I change about Matthew's new paddocks?

Firstly, electric fencing is not very reliable for small pigs and the bracken and other growth is going to drain the power on that fence as it grows or gets pushed over by the pigs.  One push to his metal feed trough onto the wire and there will be no electricity in that fence.  The other issue is that he is using a solar energizer.  They don't have as much kick as mains at the best of times and Matthew has set up in an area that will have limited sunlight because of the trees and the slope of the land.

Bracken?  There is a lot of it in these paddocks are there could be concerns over long term exposure

The environment and stocking densities should never be forgotten in any pig setup.  These are small enclosures and they are on the side of a hill.  What consideration has been given to erosion that may occur on such a site if the land is allowed to be made bare my the pigs?  Will there be runoff into the creek near by?

Hopefully we will discover the answers as the show unfolds!

I recently had the privilege of attending the Pig Day Out Lunch at The Kitchen Cabinet at Old Parliament House.

Director and chef, Janet Jeffs had asked me to be the speaker for the day and the topic of discussion was free range definitions, how genuine free range pigs are raised and the importance of certification of farms to consumers.

Now Janet usually invites pretty high calibre guests to speak at her luncheons so I was a little concerned how I would fit between Maggie Beer, Stephanie Alexander and Alex Herbert!

I was pleasantly surprised at the number of people eager to hear all about pigs!  It constantly astounds me just how curious people are about these amazing yet mostly unseen animals.

135 people sat down for a taste of Janet's Wessex Saddleback pigs.  For many, this was their first taste of true free range pork.

One of the most pressing questions people had was, how do I know that what I am buying is really free range?

If you cant visit the farm, if there is no transparency and no way to know for sure, if there is no website or the one available doesn't show grower pigs as well as the breeders outside, then insist that the pork you buy comes from an accredited farm.

Here is a review of the day from Voted with Our Forks
http://votedwithourforks.posterous.com/65851897

• Free Range Pig

  Last Sunday we went to - The Pig Day Out - where we heard Lee McCosker, former owner of Melanda Park (she has sold the business but the current owners continue to rear free range pork), to speak about farming free range pork on a commercial basis.
• 
  
• McCosker, who is a strong supporter of the Humane Choice accreditation system, made a very clear distinction between farming rather than mass-producing pork. McCosker spoke about the many concerning parallels between the way pigs are currently commercially produced and the way chickens are mass produced. I was rather startled to hear that, unlike commercially raised chickens, pigs can be given both hormone and non-hormonal growth promotants, as well as anti-biotics. Equally concerning is that there is no legal definition of 'free range' in the pork industry. It is therefore very difficult for consumers to really know what they are getting unless they sourced their pork from farms certified by humane production organisations (who also certify the abatoirs for humane slaughter) or could visit the relevant farm and see for themselves. Her best guide - if you are looking on the internet is to see whether photographs showed pigs at all stages of development out in the fields or just sows and piglets. If there are only sows and piglets you might be looking at what is called 'born free range' where the sows give birth outside and piglets stay with them for the first month, until the piglets are moved indoors for intensive rearing. Not that we were having any of that type of pork on the day.
• 
  
• As a person trying to produce a commercially viable animal McCosker crossed the commercial white pigs used in intensive farming with rare breed pigs to produce an animal with sufficient hybrid vigour to grow well and which also retained its 'nouse' as a foraging animal. She must have got it right because her farm supplied a number of top end restaurants in NSW including Neil Perry's. McCosker went on to discuss the intricacies of raising animals with the specific characteristics required by different restaurants. I would have enjoyed hearing more of this side of the story but it was time to taste the difference.
• 
  
• We were fortunate enough to be tucking into some free range Wessex Saddleback pigs, some of which had been raised by Chef Janet Jeffs herself. The main dish was pork marinated in Reidsdale cider and served with Ingelara potatoes and steamed winter greens. I really liked the peas which were included as part of the 'greens'. They were only partly developed and served pod and all - both flavoursome and tender.
  

  

  This tasty dish was followed by Claudia Roden's flourless orange and almond cake served with orange blossom citrus and marscapone.

  

  Just some advanced notice of another interesting Kitchen Cabinet event on 30 October. People who get in early will travel to Braidwood to experience A Taste of Convict Life, A special  event in association with the Crave Sydney International Food Festival 2011.