Podcast: Creating a positive image of swine production

The Real P3 podcast series is an initiative where pork professionals from around the globe share their thoughts, insights and solutions to their day-to-day challenges in the pig farming and production industry.

August Offenberg was born and grew up on a pig farm. He studied agriculture and worked in the feed industry for most of his career. Since 2011 he has been co-owner of a feed business in piglet and small animal feed. In recent years, however, he has also been busy with Zon Varken (‘Sun Pig’), a “revolutionary pig farm”.

Changing negative perceptions

For a year, Offenberg partnered with a small team of people active in the pig business and together they collected newspaper items relating to the pig farming sector. It became clear that the vast majority of information in the press was negative.

To change this stigma, the team successfully created a unique pig production system that tackled animal welfare, environmental, and human food waste concerns in their pilot farm.

“All animals get a chance to put their noses in the soil”

There are 50 sows on the farm and the pigs born stay from birth to slaughter. Offenberg talks about how they have achieved a maximum welfare rating and minimal ammonia, as well as an impressive 60-65% reduction of the carbon footprint of the feed given to the pigs without the use of soy and with a close eye on salt.

Earlier episodes of the Real P3 podcast series

Pig Progress has published numerous episodes of the Real P3 podcast series, with the most recent beinghe following:

• Episode 30: Katherine Marcano-Bell; Ia, USA;
• Episode 31: Johann Kotzé, South Africa;
• pisode 32: Jon Hoek, USA;
• Episode 33: Dr Casey Bradley (USA) and Philip van der Brink (the Netherlands);
• Episode 34: Dr Arlene Garcia (USA);
• Episode 35: Dr Casey Bradley (USA), Colin Twomey (Ireland), JP Martineau (Canada), Megan Edwards (Vietnam), and Philip van der Brink (the Netherlands);
• Episode 36: David Henman, Australia;
• Episode 37: Dr Casey Bradley (USA);
• Episode 38: Francisco Tascón, Colombia.