A PROJECT to produce environmentally-friendly 'green' pigs in the
Inverness area has taken off with the birth of the first litters of
specially-bred piglets.
Dalcross farmer Ian Swan aims to produce 8000 high health
Duroc-Landrace breeding pigs a year to meet the growing demand from
consumers for quality pigmeat from animals raised outdoors.
The clean environment and lack of animal disease in the Highlands and
Islands has encouraged the setting up of the #200,000 venture, which has
created four full-time jobs. The scheme has been assisted by a #20,000
investment from Inverness and Nairn Enterprise.
Mr Swan's company, Moray Firth Livestock, will act as a 'multiplier'
by producing from stock supplied by a specialist pig breeding company.
At three months of age, the piglets are sold back to the breeding
company at a premium price to be grown-on for later sale to outdoor pig
farmers.
Mr Swan said: ''The lack of blue-ear disease, and the low pig
population in the Highlands and Islands, makes the area very attractive
to pig breeding companies. It gives them access to high-health quality
breeding stock, which they can sell on to farmers throughout the UK.
''As part of our agreement we rear our stock in as natural a way as
possible, satisfying animal welfare requirements as well as a very
stringent genetic programme covering sanitary, transportation, and
veterinary practices.''
Fiona Larg, chief executive of Inverness and Nairn Enterprise, said:
''Our research shows that demand from consumers for pigmeat produced
from naturally-raised outdoor stock is such that supermarkets will pay
extra for guaranteed quality supplies.''
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