The Most Innovative Things Happening With Phuket Villa

Posted by Millsaps on June 8th, 2021

Indoor pigs farms feature herds of pigs kept in a relatively small, closely controlled area, usually with some form of climate control, often with liquid feeding systems, Phuket Villa and (increasingly) 'high health". These systems are often referred to as factory' or 'intensive' production.

Outdoor pigs feature breeding pigs (sows and litters) being kept on free-draining arable fields for one or two years per site, using 'arks' and electric fencing. More than a third of the UK herd are now being kept this way, with an increasing number of pigs being raised to slaughter weight outdoors too.

Both systems have their 'pros' and 'cons': let's start by examining the positive features of both.

Indoors you have the advantage of environmental control: piglets can be born and raised at the right temperature; adult animals can be kept cool in the summer and warmer in the winter - they also don't get the opportunity to get sunburnt; and airflow, especially the occurrence of draughts, so detrimental to pig health, can be controlled. You can also control the feed intake of housed pigs, and are better able to reduce wastage (so important in these days of increasing feed costs) - it's also easy to install computer controlled feeding methods, such as automatic sow feeders and liquid feeding for fattening stock. Indoor farms tend to be more productive than outdoors given the ability to control feed and environment - it's possible to achieve a greater level of supervision and measurement and therefore control of the many variables in an indoor situation. It's also possible to establish and maintain a high health status for your herd, significantly reducing disease risks and challenges.

Outdoors though, you'd benefit from much reduced capital costs, lower running costs, a real marketing benefit in these days when 'freedom food', 'outdoor bred' and even 'organic' hold sway over consumers who might be persuaded to part with a premium price for such environmental friendliness. There is a perception of higher welfare in operation for the outdoor pig (more natural, better able to express it's 'inner pig'. Finally there's the very real advantage of using pigs as a 'break crop' 'cleaning' and fertilising a piece of arable land in need of weeding and refreshing.

Great advantages, but what about the downsides?

Indoors, the set up costs are three times higher (on a per sow basis) than for an outdoor unit. Energy costs are high, and slurry disposal can be a problem (although welcomed by the arable boys once spread and incorporated into the soil), and certainly a significant cost. The high population density of an intensive farm has it's own problems too: diseases spread like wild-fire should they gain access to the herd, and the smell can get offensive, especially on hot days. Welfare considerations are very important too - it's easier to fall foul of the law indoors than out (stocking densities and environmental enrichment come to mind).

Outdoors, the biggest problems are lower productivity and extremes of weather (on my outdoor unit I watched water freeze as it came out of a four inch valve on a bowser one winter). Getting quality staff is an increasing problem too - every day outside is not necessarily idyllic. Vermin control and the health status of the herd is a potential problem too, as is the management of the feeding herd should that be kept outdoors (appetite control, feed conversion, growth rates and feed wastage will all be big challenges that will need a healthy premium price to justify).

There you have it. "Swings and roundabouts" as they say - "six of one and half a dozen of the other". Maybe the best is a compromise - well-designed buildings and slurry management systems, with pipeline fed fat pigs (using dairy waste for example), loose housing and lots of straw. Throw in some high welfare features like Electronic Sow Feeders and plenty of environmental enrichment, and maintain a high health status, then maybe you'll have the best of both worlds? One thing I know for sure is that pigs get as miserable as we do on snowy, icy, wet and windy days, and, like us, they find draughts and high temperature equally uncomfortable.

Introduction

This series of questions deals with a project's effect on increasing population growth either directly (developing new housing and businesses), or indirectly (by extending new infrastructure into undeveloped areas). It also deals with the displacement of housing and people that may be caused by a project.

XIII. POPULATION and HOUSING

Would the project:

(a) Induce substantial population growth in an area, either directly (for example, by proposing new homes and businesses) or indirectly (for example, through extension of roads or other infrastructure)?

1. Determining the Scope of the Question

In the context of this question, there are two factors that influence population growth: the first is by developing new homes and businesses that would draw people to an area; and the second is by extending infrastructure (i.e. roads, sewers, water lines, utilities etc.) into an area that is underdeveloped or undeveloped.

In both cases, the population growth would be considered "substantial" if it caused population growth that could not be supported by existing or new services (such as fire protection, police protection, schools, utilities, and other essential services).

2. Where to Find the Factual Data to Answer the Question

The information to respond to this question would most likely come through the review of the project by the local public service providers that is intended to ensure that population growth does not outpace the ability to provide public services.

Some of the information sources would include, but not be limited to:

The local agency's general plan.

Capital Improvement Plans prepared by the local agency.

Growth control strategies or plans.

Master plans for sewer, water, drainage facilities, utilities etc. prepared by the agencies that provide those services.

It is recommended that the California Environmental Resources Evaluation System (CERES) website be consulted to see if there is any information related to this question.

The Initial Study Checklist will determine what type of CEQA document will be required for a project, whether it be a Negative Declaration, a Mitigated Negative Declaration, or an Environmental Impact Report. The questions posed in the Initial Study Checklist can also serve as significance threshold in the preparation of an Environmental Impact Report.