What Enterprise is Sustainable for Me?
Pork
To evaluate how well this enterprise aligns with your farm's agronomic, marketing, financial and management resources, answer these five questions. Then, calculate your score.
Using a scale from 0 to 100, scores indicate your farm's likely success with an enterprise.
The following questions are relevant to pasture-based farrow-to-finish production.
The icons link to resources you can use to answer these questions.
QUESTIONS
HELP ME ANSWER THIS
1. Although a pasture-based system incorporates forages into pig diets, a hog enterprise must provide animals with feed in order for pigs to grow and perform well. Feed, which should deliver the appropriate energy, protein and amino acid content, represents a significant operating cost for hog farms. Do you have access to adequate pasture space and economically priced, nutritionally complete feed ingredients to meet a pig herd’s needs?
Yes
No
No
2. If pigs occupy one pasture space too long, then they may compact the soil, cause erosion from rooting, harm trees, stress forage resources and overload the soil with nutrients from their manure. To best manage pastures, producers should design a paddock system and rotate animals regularly from pasture to pasture. Are you willing to dedicate management time and resources to rotating pasture-raised hogs?
Yes
No
No
3. Markets for finished, slaughter-ready hogs include direct-to-consumer sales and processors. Have you identified a market that is likely to demand all hogs you plan to finish and willing to pay for pasture-raised pork?
Yes
No
No
4. Outdoor properties used for farrow-to-finish pig production must have structures that hogs can use for protection and farrowing, good-quality fencing to keep animals in place and access to feeding and watering systems. Does your planned site offer these features, or are you willing to make these investments?
Yes
No
No
5. Parasites, which can cause diseases, present particular concern when a farm raises pigs outside. Are you willing to administer broad-spectrum dewormers, rotate pastures and minimize contact with other animals to reduce parasite and disease risk?
Yes
No
No
Your ResultsX
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Respond to the questions for an enterprise. Each question touches on a key factor that affects an enterprise's sustainability on your farm.2 of 3
Icons to the side of questions direct to other decision tools that share detailed information about a question's topic.3 of 3
After completing all questions for an enterprise, calculate your score. A pop-up page will share your results. Scores closer to 100 suggest the enterprise would align well with your farm. Scores closer to 0 suggest the enterprise would not fit as well, based on your responses to the questions.