#FrontierEast - Have you thought about how pigs might help you?

As is traditional in England, I feel obliged to start this blog with a weather report. I am not sure if any of you are aware, but the early May bank holiday saw the highest recorded temperature since records began. That in itself is slightly less impressive when one discovers that records only began at the turn of the last century. However, it was still pleasant and gave the pessimists amongst us the opportunity to moan that it was too hot and not appropriate for this time of year (insert eye roll).

I recently took delivery of a new, fully stocked, Frontier health and safety agronomist pack. This included hand sanitiser, hand wipes, disposable gloves, a Category 3 spray suit, a box of P2 dust masks, a first aid kit and sun cream.Although I don't intend to go spraying or spend too much time in a dusty grain store, the suit and masks are extremely useful items to have, along with the first aid kit as you just never know what may occur. I use my gloves when checking chemical stores and the sun cream lotion has been extremely useful of late, while the hand wipes are invaluable for a post-99 ice cream clean up.

Pig farming

As you drive around Norfolk, it is likely that you will see many fields of outdoor pigs. Pigs have a reputation for being dirty and smelly and although I can't deny the smell, the dirt is unwarranted. They may wallow in mud but this is purely their way of applying sun cream. Wallows are actively encouraged by all outdoor pig farmers.

I have been involved with pigs over the last few months, as Frontier's MyCompliance team now offer a Pig Site Assessment service.This involves assessing environmental factors including slope, soil type, drainage, soil structure, water protection areas, location and the general suitability of a specific site for the proposed housing of an intensive outdoor pig unit.

Pigs are typically housed on a site for two years. This land is usually rented from arable farmers who also benefit from the valuable pig muck.In the past, farmers have been wary of these units as they were associated with compaction, wet holes and poor soil structure post-pigs.

However, that is now changing.The main cause of poor soil structure post-pigs is poor field selection pre-pigs.It is essential that:

• The right fields with appropriate soil types are identified
• The pig numbers are appropriate for the site
• A suitable grass ley is established
• Pigs are ringed (if possible)
• Access tracks are suitably placed to reduce run off
• A tight protective grass sward is established before the pigs arrive – using Kings bespoke Pig Mix
• A quality cover crop mix is drilled after the pigs – the Kings specific Post-Pig Structure Mix is an excellent option for this.

A well managed site is clearly visible and will be beneficial to both the natural environment (through strategically placed pollen and nectar mixes) and pig health (reduced mortality and fewer vet bills).

Aside from the obvious benefit to farmers of high rent income and a fantastic cropping break, pigs offer the farm access to top quality organic manure. This is not only through deposition (directly benefiting the field that the pigs are housed on) but also from mucking out pens which can then be stockpiled and subsequently spread across the farm, improving soil organic content, increasing soil bacteria levels and reducing bagged nitrogen costs.

It should be noted that it is the land owner who is responsible for having a Manure Management Plan in place. This is something our MyCompliance team can help with.

Ideal soil types are light soils over sand and if the idea of pigs might suit your rotation then please contact our MyCompliance team by email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or by calling 0333 0044 555 for more information.

With sunlight streaming through the window and the dogs eager for a stroll, it's time I went out to walk some sugar beet which is ready for its T1 herbicide spray (easy on the oil I think). I may even stop off for a 'Twister' (hand wipes at the ready).