Meat production in Switzerland
Outdoor pig farming, a delicate and risky activity
Pigs raised “grass” appeal to consumers. But it remains a niche activity. Report in the heart of Val-de-Ruz.
In addition to the breeding activity of cattle in free stall, Audrey El Hayek, who manages with her husband the Domaine de l’Aurore, launched himself six years ago in the outdoor pig farming.
Florian Cella / Tamedia
- The exploitation of Audrey El Hayek raises a dozen outdoor pigs.
- The sow Madeleine, 6 years old, provides most of the births.
- Wild boils represent a major sanitary threat to pig farming.
- Switzerland has only 18 outdoor pig farms of more than 100 animals.
The pigs are knocked out by the heat wave, like everyone on this summer day when we come to disturb them. Avach under the lean -to, which guarantees them a relative freshness, they are slow to manifest themselves, but, the curiosity helping, end up leaving, at the step of a senator, in the direction of the large tree and its shadow. Audrey El Hayek encourages them: “Come on, it’s the press, come and show you!”
With her husband, she holds the Domaine de l’Aurorein Cernier, in the heart of Val-de-Ruz. Live in free stable, chickens, laying hens, spelled crops, among others. The pigs are grouped on their farm, a few hundred meters, in the town of Chézard-Saint-Martin (NE). A dozen piglets, barely 3 months old, but already weighing their 50 kilos well struck.
Small model breeding in Val-de-Ruz
The couple embarked on outdoor pig farming five years ago. “As we had the necessary place, we tried our luck,” explains Audrey El Hayek. At this moment is coming up Madeleinethe sow, the Queen Mother, who has provided most of the litters from the start. At 6 years old, age where reproductive females are usually renewed, it is still doing well and will undoubtedly be able to ensure its role for some time.
“But the scope you see here is made up of farming pigs, and not pure fattening, because among them, I will select the one that will succeed him.” Breeding sows are in fact, in general, more attentive to their young. “His daughter, Poppywhich was also a sow for reproduction, but from a line of fattening pigs, tended to go to bed, without looking at, on his offspring if I was not there to avoid the worst. “
To see the little Amandine sneak near Madeleinewithout apprehension, we understand that indeed, Madeleine is a real mother hen, attentive to her trips. Audrey El Hayek shows the land available to her pigs. “They are very organized and very clean, as long as they are given room,” she says. Here, the place where they do their needs, very clearly separated from the area where they eat the grass and search the ground in search of food. ”
Already well abused, the plot in question will be replanted in the fall, with fodder rye. An obligation, because in case of rain, the earth must be held.
The field is closed by an electrified two -wire barrier, so that they do not venture on the land of others. And to avoid contact with wild boars? “Fortunately, there are none in Val-de-Ruz, unlike Val-de-Travers, from Rochefort,” she smiles. I don’t know why. Perhaps the road makes a natural obstacle? ” The question is important, because wild boars can transmit to various diseases, at the forefront of which the pig plague. If it happens, the whole breeding must be shot.
In addition to the grass they eat around, and what they find in the ground, the pigs are also fed with a mixture for fattening.
Florian Cella / Tamedia
However, the danger sometimes comes in unexpected features. A few years ago, an anti-Pécist activist, who brought back pigs saved from industrial farming abroad, went through the nearby road to go to the Val-de-Ruz fund. “As these animals were sick, we had to take blood to all our pigs, which fortunately gave negative results,” recalls Audrey. And I can tell you that it’s sport, because we take it from the neck, and a pig that is struggling, it’s something … “
Potentially dangerous
She stops at the rest to warn us: “Be careful that Madeleine Do not walk inadvertently, because it is 300 kilos and it could end in the emergency room. ” Two porcelets, players, give small strokes of making you almost lose your balance. “They have incredible strength, with the snout and the neck, and with a slightly superior size, they can project you on the ground easily!”
As for the queen mother, it is better to have the right one. “Not only could it extend you, but also inflict you terrible bites.” Strange gore movie images flew to fleetingly with a pretty country report. We are warned.
Injured in a paw, Poppy Unfortunately had to be asleep, but ultimately, the livestock should go back to around 24 piglets, thanks to the next generation. The ideal is a range of fourteen small, the exact number of teats. Breeding of this size, he has a few dozen in French -speaking Switzerland. “The number of animals is not very important, because we have to face the same specifications and the same problems as larger farms,” nuances Audrey.
Larger -scale pig farming
To the Cross farm From Vullierens (VD), above Morges, the scale is not the same. With a capacity of 300 animals, and a current herd of 120, this outdoor pig farming is among the biggest in Switzerland. “There is another of comparable size in Thurgovia, and that of Witzwil in the canton of Bern, close to penitentiary establishments, but they had to reduce a lot, because of the wild boars,” said Rudolf Steiner, at the head of the farm with his wife, Caroline.
Audrey El Hayek (here with her daughter Amandine, and Noémie, a young trainee) brings her animals to a lively weight of 160 kilos, which ensures 100 kilos of meat per animal.
Florian Cella / Tamedia
Farms of this size, which fatten outdoor pigs, or “grass”, there are only 18 in Switzerland. An activity that remains confidential, if it is compared to the 3000 industrial operations, which provide retail. But their number has decreased inexorably since the turn of the century: there were still 5600 in 2020. Under economic pressure, operators tend to refocus on this activity alone, while before, the pig was often a source of income among others.
Lots of space, a lot of costs
Rudolf Steiner, for the benefit of an experience of twenty-seven years, confirms the difficulty of this farming mode: “We are not entitled to error, especially since it is an open scene and that we are quickly apostrophe.” It also takes a lot of space, with an average of 200 m² per pig, not to mention the 18 hectares of grass. Space, a lot of work, and costs. Just for the double fences with three wires each, “this represents 40 km of wire and 1000 plastic stakes for parks 300 meters long by 80 meters wide”.
“Farmers who are betting on the outdoors are not only in the minority, but there are many who have given up, precisely because of the risks, illnesses in mind,” recalls Adrian Schütz, secretary general replacing the ridge Switzerland.
The concept of the trailer
No question therefore of large tilting towards pork guaranteed outdoor and fulfilled animals. However, small herds like that of the Domaine de l’Aurore are rather numerous. A few dozen in the canton of Vaud, according to Gérald Huber, boss of BioVaudAssociation which recently made available to interested farmers a trailer with inclusive shelter tunnel, which allows you to try the pig in the open air, without having to build a dedicated structure. “They can rent it, to test, then either order one from the bodybuilder who designed it, or study the plans and make it themselves.”
The concept of itinerant trailer, with integrated tunnel to protect pigs from bad weather, from German-speaking Switzerland (above) was taken up by the association Biovaud. Farmers can either rent it or ask the manufacturer to build one, or get the plans and make it themselves.
Claire Berbain FiBL
All these operations are intended for direct sale. Standards are indeed not those of large distribution, recalls Audrey El Hayek: “With us, there is only one reach per year, against 2.3 for the sows of industrial farms, and I push my pigs up to 160 kilos of bright weight.” For large distribution, the limit is on average 120 kilos. “This allows me to have 100 kilos of meat to be sold, and besides, the size of the chops would prevent them from being put in tray.”
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