Organic pig farming: key characteristics, opportunities, advantages and challenges

Organic pig production strives to provide housing and management conditions that guarantee a high level of animal health and welfare, sustainability, a closed soil–plant–animal cycle and produce high-quality products. This chapter discusses how housing of organic pigs affects welfare and the environment, and outlines how organic production systems are desperately in need of alternatives to feedstuffs that are in direct competition with human nutrition. The chapter examines why certain breeding goals should be adapted to organic conditions, and which health problems are typical for organic housing systems. Finally, the chapter shows how waiving of castration could be a challenge but also a chance for organic pig production and looks ahead to future research trends in this area.