SFMTA visit to Pig farm

QMS organised the visit for SFMTA to view a working pig farm dedicated to outdoor production at Glamis Castle. The pig production started in the early 90s on land that was very porous despite being in the middle of the Howe of Strathmore. Flanked by a sand quarry on one side and a gravel quarry on the other, the land was identified as being more suitable for livestock than arable.

The farm has 600 sows and an output of 12,000 pigs per ear all sold through Scottish Pig Producers group. 200 pigs are supplied to Broxburn on a Freedom Foods contract. Freedom Foods is the assurance scheme of the RSPCA and Strathmore is only one of two farms in Scotland to be accredited.

David said “It is a very tangible benefit to us to be in Freedom Foods, the consumers seem to appreciate this but it is mostly the hams from our pigs that get processed into high value Freedom Foods Hams.”

Escorted on a trailer for bio-security reasons the farm tour first saw where the pigs were served. “When a sow gets weaned, she has a change in her hormones and five days later she comes in season. Cattle and sheep are seasonal but the pig cycle goes on throughout the year. They cycle every three weeks, they have their young for four weeks – once they stop suckling, hormones change then 4 or 5 days later they come in season and they go back to the start.

“We use artificial insemination. We do not buy in any pigs at all. Semen is couriered up from Yorkshire on a Sunday and kept refrigerated, it lasts the week.

The gestation period of a pig is 3 months, 3 weeks, 3 days.

Farrowing crates stop the sow lying on top of her piglets.

The farm has a very small herd of Duroc. “About 10 years ago when we closed our herd up we took the best of them.” The Duroc pig has been compared to a Highland cow – very hardy beasts with fat cover, the sows have been Duroc cross on Large White pigs and they are crossed with a Landrace for finished pigs.

Finished pigs are taken to a 74-75 kilo average carcase weight.

After a very fine lunch served in Glamis Castle the party then watched a cutting demonstration put on by Richard Megahy and Gary Conacher of Simon Howies. While they broke down a 80 Kilo pig there was a healthy discussion on the attributes of selling individual muscles and smaller joints.

The demonstration took place in the medieval kitchen already fitted out with ceiling hooks.

In conclusion there is a great opportunity for independent butchers to sources local grown pork. Throughout Scotland there are pig units that could supply butchers with quality pork that would come with a good consumer story with regard to provenance. Retailers are all seeking points of difference and this could be of interest to SFMTA members.

It is likely that QMS will progress this opportunity with Meet the Producer workshops in the evening at several locations throughout the country. These are now likely to be held early next year but anyone who is keen to establish a link foster should get in contact with Gordon McKen, Managing Director Scottish Pig Producers, Tel 01466 792284 , [email protected].