Simon Goble of Khula pig farm near Swellendam is one of a handful of farmers who raise pigs on pasture. He explains why it’s good for both the environment and consumers.
Why are pigs such a sought-after farming product?
After studying at Elsenburg Agricultural College, I worked on farms in America and did various internships in South Africa. My path crossed with an Australian who farms pigs near Botrivier, and from him, I learned that pigs are the best animals to farm with, especially if you have little capital. Pigs farrow twice yearly, so you wean eight piglets from a sow every six months. Eight! I started small with ten weaners, and I’m one of the few farmers raising pigs on pasture. My farm’s name is Khula, which means grow, and my pig herd quickly bred up to about 250.
How do you manage your pigs on the pastures?
They move in small weaner groups in camps that I mark off with electric fencing. The camps are moved every few days as the pigs utilise the pasture and trample the natural fertiliser into the soil with their hooves. Then, we let the pasture recover properly before we make another camp. Where there was a camp, it looks like the pigs have trampled it to nothing, but in just a few weeks, you see the regrowth and vetches (nitrogen-fixing legumes), clovers, and rye appear.
Tell us more about your “waste to meat” approach.
Buying food for pigs is unnecessary because there are enough resources in your environment if you just make the effort to find them. My pigs get milk daily from a neighbour, whey I collect from the local cheese factory, and fruits and vegetables that farmers can’t market. In summer, I give them plums and peaches. Otherwise, I will also feed them butternuts, pumpkins, and cabbage. The whey is incredible, and I give it to the slaughter pigs. Before, it would take between sixteen and eighteen months to get a 60-70kg carcass; I now achieve this within seven to eight months.
Where do you have your pigs slaughtered?
Only where I have peace of mind that my pigs are well handled in a neat, calm environment. My philosophy is to give the pigs the best possible life, but in the process, I want to give people the best possible food.
What is the influence of your farming methods on the meat?
Since my pigs aren’t pampered but walk a lot and build muscle, their meat is tasty, juicy and slightly darker. The outdoor life, their mobility, the age of the pig and the variety of food all play a role. The meat has nutrient density because the animals get so many elements from the soil and vegetation. People don’t believe it, but I also don’t use antibiotics. It’s not necessary because my pigs are healthy.
Do pigs really build nests?
Yes, from about two months old, they start making nests with grass that they pull out and stack until it’s a nice thick mat. These nests saved my pigs during recent floods because they were high and dry despite all the water.
What is your favourite cut?
I prefer a loin chop, pork sausage or mince, with which I make burgers. The best way to prepare pork neck is to handle it like a fillet.
