There are several types of barns in operation today, ranging from fully slatted floor, partially slatted floors and solid bedded pens. All barns are temperature controlled year round for the comfort of the animals. Pigs do not do well in cold temperatures or hot.
These hogs are never allowed to ‘run around outside’ for their own well-being. While it has and is being done in some parts of the world, it just does not make a lot of sense in our part of the world. Hogs that are allowed outside are very susceptible to parasites (which then causes a need for more medication), mortality rates are higher (remember, they don’t like and can’t withstand hot and cold), they have no defense against predators, and the bio-security of the herd would be impossible to achieve and pigs would repeatedly become infected with Avian tuberculosis. There is no good reason to raise hogs outside here in the Lower Mainland.
Barns provide a safe place and plenty of space for them to run and play and do ‘pig things!’ BC farms house as many as 200 pigs per pen, giving them plenty of opportunity for socializing, which pigs like to do. We and BC producers care, and we know that carefully raised, healthy pigs make for quality pork.
