If we all thought alike what a boring world this would be. It is obvious that some people in our area have thought about and have spent some time with hogs and are well aquainted with their likes and dislikes. But I wonder if they know the one thing hogs like most [because they have no sweat glands] is to wallow in the muck and mire to cool their hot little bodies. Happy hogs most generally are lying in the hog wallow under a shade tree not scampering around in the sunshine. They get sunburnt just like the rest of us so it's better to stay muddy and in the shade. So if you are going to raise them in a confined area you have to moderate their environment by cooling them in the summer (and that includes cool mists of water cascading down from sprinkling units) and heating in the winter so that they don't lose their ears and tails to frost bite like field raised hogs use to do. Most confined pigs get hosed off every day and are in a much cleaner environment than field raised hogs. And as far as using their straw as compost most people agree that sheep and horse manure are a much better choice on homeowners gardens and lawns but hog manure is probably best used for field crops. (And just as an aside the farmers I've known use wood shavings as bedding rather than straw, it's cleaner.) Manure is natural though but I will agree very smelly. It is interesting to me that folks without children always have the best advise for those of us in the midst of raising our own...and maybe that might be a good metaphor here. Folks who don't make a living by farming the land and raising the world's meat/food supply really like to think they know better than the folks who have been producing year after year the best food in the world to feed the world.
But I would like to hear more of what people have to say about this subject. I think it clear that we are talking about two separate issues however. One, farming practices, those who love them and those that don't. And Two, what are we going to do tomorrow? What we do everyday Pinky...try to take over the world!