World

World-Wide Pictures of Outdoor Pigs
Below are pictures of outdoor pigs from around the world. Examples include England, Texas, Colorado, Spain, Brazil, Mexico, Hungry and Australia.
	Outdoor Pictures from Portugal Sent by António Pedro Andrade Vicente Escola Superior Agrária de Santarém Qta do Galinheiro S. Pedro Apart. 310 2001-904 SANTARÉM PORTUGAL

	Images were sent by Craig Lewis. Craig was an exchange student in 2002/3 between the Royal Agricultural College in the UK and Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas. These pictures are from UK Outdoor pig herds (left and left, middle and right below).

	Image 1: Two types of farrowing huts: On the right a classical farrowing arc (Note the close window in the upper part, that are kept open in summer). On the left a farrowing hut we have designed at the University (Note the partially - opened left window, the right one is closed), under experimentation yet. In the middle a meteorological case (Radiation shield), to register outdoor temperatures and protection for a data logger (Rustrak Ranger II). This was a trial to measure internal temperatures in different places inside the huts. The sow was an F1 (LxLW), the day she was put in the individual farrowing paddock, 5 –7 days before the expected farrowing date. (May be she is not so red, perhaps an image color distortion). Taken at University’s experimental farm “La Aguada”, something as 50 km west and slightly north from Río Cuarto (Town is at 33° 8’ South; 64° 21’ West; 426 meters high).. Córdoba Province.
	Two farrowing huts designed byThe pig production group (Agronomy and Veterinary Faculty. Rio Cuarto National University. - Universidad Nacional de Rio Cuarto -). The two windows were closed. Design considerations for this huts aimed to take into account high summer temperatures (Perhaps the main climatic constraint in outdoor pig production here, related with summer infertility, due mainly to sunburn), and also winter low temperatures.
	Farm near Canals. Córdoba Province. Front and rear windows are open. ARGENTINA
	Weaners from Argentina.
	These pigs are outdoors in England, not too far from Ipswich. You see many gestating and lactating sows on this site. The ground cover is minimal. Often in this region, farmers use a rotation of wheat, potatoes, and pigs. New environmental regulations may impact this production system.


	West Texas (near Lubbock, Texas, USA) West Texas is an ideal place to raise pigs outdoors. The climate is low in humidity, the topography is very flat and the weather is mild, with an occasional dusting of snow, but very warm, dry summers. The local population is oriented towards agriculture. The local pig industry is growing (primarily indoors). For more information contact: John McGlone

	In East Texas, the Slanker Farm, operated by Ted and Chris, have cattle, chickens and, recently, outdoor pigs. They have some white commercial crossbred pigs and some Tamworths, too. It is a mixed species, grazing-based farm.

	Pigs from Spain. Photos courtesy of Juan de Dios Vargas Giraldo. The darker skinned pigs are Iberian pigs, thought to be descended from selected breeding during the Roman Empire. These are also the sort of pigs thought to be carried by early Spanish explorers.


	Hungary. Eastern Europe.

	Pictures from SE Colorado. The climate is dry and a large amount of grain is produced in near-by Western Kansas.


	Outdoor sows in Brazil

In Mexico, there is a type of pig called the Cuino. It is found largely among the Tarahumara Indians and among smaller family-outdoor pig farms. The picture to the right is of a little Indian girl and some adult Cuinos who wander around the village and near-by crop land.

Western Australian Outdoor

pig unit (South of Perth).


This is a photo taken from the air over our Sustainable Pork farm near Lubbock, Texas. Note the center hub and the pastures radiating out from the central hub. Each pasture is 1 acre and contains one gestating sow hut. A center pivot sprinkler covers the site and can water the grass. This photo was during a study of stocking density. The relatively bare pasture on the left had 14 sow per acre and the ground cover was removed. To the right, the sow density was only 7 sows per acre.

If you wish to add pictures from your location, please e-mail: John McGlone

Outdoor finishing of pigs is more of a challenge than for the sow herd, at least in terms of attempting to maintain ground cover. These pigs were part of a study of the effects of birth and rearing environments on pig growth and carcass traits (including taste). Click here for the report.