Rojo - I think the feral pig is highly productive given the number of ‘pig chasers’ around here and still their numbers don’t seem to be affected. Their carcass has no real commercial value, high in fat, gamey taste, relatively small in size and low yielding , no were as meaty as the commercial pig.

The feral pig is black in most instances and that certainly does help with sun protection. Don’t under estimate the instinctive behaviours of a white pig though. They cope much better, under the right conditions, than people give them credit for. I could easily breed up a completely black herd to give them added protection but guess what – consumers are offended by seeing dark hair roots on their roast.

Most people don’t seem to realize that pigs are not skinned and that the crackling that everyone loves so much is actually the pigs skin with the hairs scraped off. There is always a few hairs left on the carcass but with white pigs they go unnoticed and of course the hair roots are not visible. Hold that thought and then think about all those intensive pigs piled in their little pens, covered in each others excrement. Mmmm ….yum, bet you never look at crackling the same way again!

Taryn – the link I gave highlights a few free range farmers, not just myself, far more interesting. You will learn a lot from that book.

PF.
I do not have the book as yet. They said it will take another week.
I found this story.
Taryn

http://www.farmonline.com.au/news_daily.asp?ag_id=42454
Breaking Rural News : LIVESTOCK

Work to be done on group housing of sows
Australia
Monday, 14 May 2007

In the wake of the sow-stall controversy, veterinary research has found that group housing of female pigs during gestation can be done, but more work is needed to ensure maximum welfare and reproductive performance