Answer, Answer

This is how our newest sow prepared for her piglets.  She spent all day building her weather-tight nest.  Then at night she tunnelled in and had her litter.  Quite a neat little nest.  Way more impressive if you saw it up close.  How she knew it was time is beyond me, but they do.  We farrow with nature.  Using nature as a guide we have yet to lose a piglet to squishing.  Many people talk about their hogs rolling on the piglets, but outside it just does not seem to happen.  We have been very lucky so far, but I think that using nature as a guide, our problems will be fewer.  So far, we have averaged about 6-8 piglets per litter.  I am fine with that.  There is no fight for milk and the mother is not beat up or over worked.  We have been able to finish off some nice pigs from these litters.  Some people complain if there are not 12 in a litter, but I think more than 10 would be too much.  Especially on a natural diet.

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The factory farm's solution.  Remove nature and stick the new mother in a crate.  She can stand up and lay down.  What a life.  They will be removing all mothering instincts from their sows.  It is a shame we have come to this as a nation.  I realize that without massive farms fast food markets will be unable to prosper and many hog farmers would be out of work.  But, I am not sure the farrowing crate is a necessity.  Also take a look at all her piglets.  I count at least 12.  She is definitely the product of a grain operation.  I can only imagine how much it costs to keep this old girl going.

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