Pasture Management Systems for Swine
Pasture-based management systems for pigs are increasing in popularity as consumer interest in pasture-raised pork products is at an all-time high.
Those who wish to start a pasture-based pig operation find that science-based management practices are difficult to obtain. Rearing pigs on pasture requires managing a complex relationship between the pig, forages and soil.
Pigs have limited digestive capabilities and will not utilize the pasture like ruminants do. Their relationship with soil and forage can be observed in their natural behaviors, like rooting. Therefore, significant focus should be placed on the producer’s goals for forage management, and using those goals to influence the way they manage their pigs.
Read also: Systems of rearing pigs
Pasture is generally managed in one of four ways when rearing pigs.
Learn MorePermanent
A permanent system refers to a pasture that has been seeded with perennial forage. This type of pasture will be reseeded based on the farmer’s needs and stocking rate but does not require annual reseeding. However, it is important to note that continual pasture systems result in lower yields, as the forage is not given time to recover.
A successful permanent system will require the growth stage and lifespan of forage to be the main priority.
Temporary/Annual
A temporary/annual pasture system is the inverse of a permanent system. It is seeded with annual forage and will not grow back after its growing season.
Using a temporary system will require the farmer to reseed the pasture on an annual basis. This type of management system can be convenient, but continuous grazing negatively affects the roots, causing recovery to slow down. It is beneficial to keep your stocking rates low when using annual or temporary pasture management systems, to keep forage damage to a minimum.
Rotation
Rotating your crops to allow for a more consistent growing season. Within this system, perennial grasses and legumes are put on a rotation schedule with grain crops. After the pigs have utilized the grasses and legumes for several growing seasons, the residual materials on the field are plowed down and replaced with a grain crop. The cycle repeats, allowing the farmer to take advantage of multiple growing seasons and a variety of crops.
Having grazed forage in the rotation allows the farmer to build fertility and reduce weed, insect and disease pressure for subsequent crops.
There are several approaches to managing these three pasture systems, but the most common is to rotate the swine on the available pastures. This gives vacant pastures time to rest and regrow.
Read also: Swine Production: list of pig farming equipment
Resting your paddocks allows the forage to renew its energy sources, deepen its root system, and enhance production through increased growth. Rotational systems require the farmer to implement a rigid rotation schedule to ensure the pigs do not inflict severe damage to the forage and soil.
Hogged-down
In a hogged-down pasture system, pigs completely tread down and consume the available forage and mature grain after the plant has died off.
Historically, this management system was implemented before mechanical harvesting was widely available. Hogging-down is still used today as an alternative to land clearing or machine harvesting. However, it should not be your sole approach to pasture management, but rather as a form of field and crop maintenance, and it is good convention to allow your pigs access to a pasture crop field while placing them on a hogged-down pasture.
When choosing which management system is right for your operation, it is important to consider the types of forage available, space allotted, geography of land, and size of herd. Raising pigs on pasture is a task that needs to be tackled with flexibility, as there are many environmental factors that affect forage management. Continual changes are necessary for an operation to successfully manage pigs and land in a manner that is environmentally sound and profitable in today’s niche markets.
By Chelsea Becker
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