[langdon]

was reading a fram mag that comes free in the post this week and it had an article of how to keep pigs on a small scale and a
commercial scale, the thing that strucked me was how frightened and sad looking these pigs were.
the surroundings seemed to be of a pig entinsive farm ( have i spelt that right!)
they were so pink and clean looking that gave me the impression that they may not seem much of the outdoors.
after finishing my cuppa and the rest of the mag i had to get my jacket on and wellies and go across to my pigs to admire them as they are in so good
condition and loving that mud and daylight.
dont know if this might not strike the same cord as it did with me but im so proud of myself in how far i have come in pig keeping and know that our pigs
love their life here with us.
im sure everyone can relate with me here
langdon

[darkbrowneggs]

I am not sure what the current pig keeping space requirements are - but I was disgusted when a few years ago DEFRA wrote to me informing me of an upgrading in the space requirements per pig, and that now I was not allowed to keep pigs in a pen which did not give enough space for all but one of them to stand on the floor at the same time. 

I am still furious and disgusted when I even think about it    - and just think we probably have some of the best animal husbandry regulations in the world.  How are they kept intensively in the far East or even Eastern Europe?


All the best
Sue
Dark Brown Eggs

[bamford6]

never see the light off day .in Scotland there building 4 massive barns for 4000 caws .the milk will cover all off Scotland its intensive farming same as the pigs the young bulls will not be kept just the milkers .

[Hilarysmum]

Cheap food   =   crrap animal welfare.  And as more and more British farmers go down the tubes, more and more Eastern European food will be imported - and just watch the producers manipulate the food labelling to make it appear British

[darkbrowneggs]

They don't need to manipulate the labelling.   

Chicken reared in China and frozen can be brought into the EU thawed out - often by soaking in water and chemicals to increase its weight, re-frozen and sold as produced in the EU, brought into UK thawed again and reprocessed into something a "ready meal" of some sort and sold as produced in UK

Not long ago someone was prosecuted for buying EU battery eggs in bulk and re-packing them as organic free range - wonder how long he had been doing that, and is he the only one?

As I am sure you all know Bernard Matthew turkeys are produced on farms in Eastern Europe then the meat bought to the uk for processing.  I think I am right in saying those kept in the UK are mainly for breeding stock.  I think his chicken is from South America.

Try googling Bernard Matthews and RSPCA freedom foods if you want to feel a bit depressed.  But on a lighter note we are all doing our bit to improve things, and hopefully that is a first step along the way   so hopefully - things can only get better!

All the best
Sue
Dark Brown Eggs

[suziequeue]

Our happy looking pigs have turned into happy looking sausages which have turned into happy looking us!!!

[HappyHippy]

I'm not even going to start on the subject of EU raised meat - I'm sure you've heard it all before 
My best friend's hubby works on a commercial pig farm up in Aberdeen and I always go for a nosey with him when I'm up visiting. The pigs are raised in reasonable conditions (or as reasonable as intensive indoor farming can be  ) and I've never questioned their physical health and welfare - they are always in good condition and everywhere is clean and tidy BUT I feel very sorry that they'll never know what it really means to be a pig. To be out in a field, with a dirty great wallow and muck to root about in. They might be healthy and well looked after, but IMHO I don't think they're happy pigs 
And happy pigs = tasty pork