At Porcus, our Rare Breed Pigs are freerange and outdoors – only in the run up to farrowing (birth) and 4 weeks after birth does the sow and piglets spend time indoors – this is to give them the best start in life possible.  Our farrow stalls are large and airy – they are heated and are always full of clean, fresh, top quality straw.  And they love it! 

Due to the nature of rare breed meat – the animals need to be slow grown over a period of 24 – 29 weeks.  This process guarantees them up to twice the life span of the pigs reared in mass production units. 

We pride ourselves on giving them the best opportunity to live the lives of happy animals. We believe, as do our customers, that this reflects on the foods we produce.

What do the labels mean?

From February 2010 the pig industry created a new, albeit voluntary, labelling code of practice which, it is hoped, may help to distinguish how your food spent its life.

Freerange – kept outdoors in fields until processing, with bedded huts for shelter. 

Outdoor reared – born outside in fields, have outdoor access for about half their lives then transferred to indoor accommodation for finishing. 

Outdoor bred – born outside, transferred to indoor accommodation at weaning (weaning is from 21 days after birth and above).