Raise your pigs the natural way

MANILA, Philippines - In today’s urgency to go all natural and green, many industries are making an effort to evaluate their old ways and embrace new (or old yet effective) methods to turn out quality products without compromising the already fragile ecology.

Hog-raising is one of those industries that is seeing an earnest revamp and locally, this endeavor is being spearheaded by a newly-formed group dubbed the Natural Piggery Movement. 

Led by its convenor Gil Carandang, the Natural Piggery Movement (NPM) is an organization of committed hog raisers advocating the cause of mitigating harmful environmental effects of pig production.

The NPM aims to create balance between pork production, food safety and environment protection through the natural way of raising hogs. The natural standards of raising hogs are founded on sustainable and practical approaches considering the available resources and current growing system in the country.

Moreover, the NPM aims to create social awareness that naturally-farmed pigs are healthier and safer since the growing system uses no chemicals and no antibiotics.

The common method of pig farming uses confinement systems that allow farmers to raise more hogs in less space. The result is that farmers get to breed sows at a higher rate but the pigs spend most of their lives in gestation and are not able to move around naturally.

On the other hand, the NPM advocates natural piggery farming where the pigs can apply their biological functions normally to the environment. Through this method, the animal will be “able to manifest its natural behavior like rooting around substrates,” explains Carandang.

A normal biological function includes good health. Naturally, an animal in poor health is more prone to disease and his/her immune system is impaired. NPM believes that pigs deserve good systems and higher standards of welfare on economic, environmental and social aspects. Thus, NPM believes farmers today must contribute a deeper approach in natural pig farming for a sustainable and greener environment.

“Natural piggery poses less strain on the environment,” says Carandang, “For instance, because the substrate gets mixed in with the poo, it can then be used as plant fertilizer. Thus, nothing is wasted. Everything is used and reused for something. Also, pigs are not given antibiotics or growth hormones.

“Conversely, producing pigs intensively has serious effects on the environment and public health. While intensive farming generates food cheaply, it has hidden costs that will be shouldered by society and our environment.”

Another important point the NPM also wants to raise is awareness that natural hog raising methods are more economical. Since 80 percent of piggeries in the Philippines are backyard operations, the NPM’s methods are more affordable and sustainable for small scale farmers.

Other than farmers, end consumers also have a lot to benefit from natural piggery since the pork will be healthier. Because natural pigs are not given unnecessary antibiotics and growth hormones, their meat is free from chemical additives. Hence, consumers get “clean” pork since what goes into the pigs are “clean” as well.

Beyond health, Carandang says that when a consumer purchases pork from naturally raised pigs, they make a deep political and philosophical statement on many levels. This is because they end up supporting natural methods, small business (backyard farmers) and protect the environment all at the same time.

Hence, NPM membership is open to both consumers and producers. Members will get special benefits, discounts, training, information, technology and market access. In today’s urgency to go green, the NPM has high hopes that an effort to get the ball rolling for all natural piggery will pave the way for better hog production and consumption.

To inquire about the Natural Piggery Movement, Carandang may be reached at 0929-2698602, [email protected] and www.naturalpiggery.org.

The Natural Piggery Movement is supported by the ProNatural Feed Corporation.