An Aberdeenshire pig farmer has thanked involvement in the North-East Pig Monitor Farm project for a 20% increase in the amount of pigmeat produced per sow on his unit.
Patrick Stephen says the project, which was jointly funded by economic development agency Opportunity North East (One) and Quality Meat Scotland (QMS), had been a huge success at his Mill of Carden Farm, Inverurie.
The project set out to improve the profitability, productivity and sustainability of pig producers through practical demonstrations and sharing of best practice.
Mr Stephen said significant changes had been made in the past four years at the 900-acre farm, which is home to a 530-sow herd housed on straw.
The farm runs JSR females with a Danbred terminal sire, and finished pigs are sold through the Scottish Pig Producers marketing group to Quality Pork Processors at Brechin or Woodhead Brothers.
“We have become more efficient by improving management practices and are regularly investing in new buildings, for example, an environmentally controlled 1,800 place weaner shed and a 1,600 space grower/finisher shed to improve feed conversion and growth rates,” he said.
“We’ve also invested in a new grain store and straw shed which will improve straw quality as all straw was previously stored outside which, in turn, should reduce the risk of mycotoxin issues in the breeding herd.”
Mr Stephen hailed the community aspect of the monitor farm project and said he, and 25 other pig producers in Aberdeenshire, use the Agrosoft pig production software that allows the farm to record and manage every element of herd performance.
