Supermarket trials for new farrowing system

The design is one Mr Morgan has come up with, in collaboration with the Scottish Agricultural College, after looking at previous experiments with “freedom farrowing” pens and considering the objections of farmers who have tried them and found them awkward, dangerous or too expensive in terms of space required and increased piglet losses due to smothering.

He was away when Sainsbury’s announced the initiative at his farm, and his daughter, Vicky, was reluctant to give details. But she said a small-scale trial, with three pens over eight months, had suggested it was possible to meet RSPCA standards without suffering extra losses. Another 70 are now being installed, subsidised by Sainsbury’s, and the pigs which go through them will get Freedom Food accreditation.

The Morgan family farm, at Kilham, near Driffield, is a “concept farm” for Sainsbury’s, meaning it is a test ground for new ideas.

Annie Graham, head of agriculture at Sainsbury’s, said in the company statement: “The concept farm is a way to trial ideas that combine sustainability and improved animal welfare. Our customers expect us to lead the way in animal welfare. We are already the largest retailer for Freedom Food products in the UK.”

The “concept farm” and its potential benefits to Sainsbury suppliers was part of the pitch to farmers who called at the supermarket’s stand at the Great Yorkshire Show.

Sainsbury’s was also pointing out that it had made some response to pig farmers’ protests that they are being paid less than the cost of production.

A few weeks ago, the company promised its 18 Pork Development Group farmers – suppliers of 12,000 pigs a week – 5p a kilo over the market price until Deadweight Average Pig Price got up to £1.50 a kilo. The DAPP got there on July 7 but the company decided to continue paying a 3p a kilo premium at least until August 1. The National Pig Association said it was “welcome” but not enough. But Sainsbury’s said: “No other grocery competitor has made a move on this scale.”

David Morgan runs Pockmor Ltd with his wife, three daughters and four other staff. They run 1,500 Genepacker 90 sows, from JSR, and supply 800 pigs a week to Sainsbury’s for pork and pork products.

In many ways, it is typical of the indoor pig industry but the pigs get good straw and space provision, and Freedom Food has said before that the farm could easily meet its specifications except that it used standard farrowing “crates”, which keep the sow confined and the piglets on the other side of a grille, while they are still suckling.

The industry can see a ban on crates looming, through Brussels if not Westminster and through supermarket pressure if not Brussels. Also, there is a few pence a kilo extra in supplying the Freedom Food market, which is booming.

How crates work

FARROWING crates confine sows to standing up and lying down for a few days before giving birth and then 27 days while the piglets are milking, to stop them squashing their offspring.

Piglet mortality averages 10-15 per cent on farms using farrowing crates and 30 per cent in free-range systems. Every loss costs the farmer £25 or so.

The industry needs a way to allow sow and piglets to share a natural “nest” without too much cost – and without endangering workers who have to get in and out – quickly at times.