Cleaner raising technology may improve pork quality

Pig-raisers hope new fermentation technology will provide a cleaner place for their swine to sleep and improve pork quality.

The technology is used in a pig sty to create a more sterile environment for the pigs. The pigs sleep on a rice-crust surface which contains a special kind of micro-organism that eliminates excretion odours, as well as emits heat to warm the sty.

Wang Haihong, Researcher of Beijing Acad., of AG. & Forestry Sci., said, "It cleans the breeding environment, allowing pigs to be healthy and happy. Pigs suffer fewer illnesses, meaning lesser antibiotics need to be used. This will greatly improve pork quality."

However, whether the pork succeeds hinges on its marketing. So far, few companies have been willing to invest in it.

Dr. Zhang Jiping, Pig Raising Expert, said, "Pig raising using this kind of technology is large-scale, so meat companies do not want to spend money to market the concept. This technology, despite its high cost, has not realised its value in market. That is a bottleneck for its development."

Both Shanxi and Hebei provinces have used the new-age pig raising technology. Beijing's Daxing district is building a sales network for pork produced with this technology with assistance from the local government.