What production systems are commonly used?
A. Pork producers use a variety of production systems to raise hogs, which creates unique and different approaches to managing the manure. Typically, systems vary because of regional differences in climate, topography, and hydrology. For example, production systems and manure management methods used during a cold January in the upper Midwest may differ greatly from those used the same month in warmer, southern states. Production Systems and Manure Pastures and Drylots: Some hog enterprises consist of drylots or pastures in which manure cannot be collected easily for reuse. To the soil system, unconfined animals contribute manure nutrients that can be assimilated or otherwise used naturally by vegetation if animal densities are low enough to maintain pasture conditions. Hogs are fed on the ground or self-feeding troughs so that labor and land can substitute for capital. The trend in the last few decades, however, has been toward enclosed production facilities to better care for the anim
