Three Different Pig-keeping Systems in Mexico

Pig production is the third most important system in Mexican livestock production. Enrique Martinez, the Mexico secretary of agriculture expressed that the Mexico government was going to take action to improve the live hog industry production and profits in the meeting about Mexican live hog production development convened in 2013.

The production of live hog in Mexico occurs under different production systems and these systems are undergoing important changes, such as technology, resources, etc. The pig producers in Mexico operate under three different systems: technically advanced intensive pig raising, semi-technically advanced small commercial pig raising and traditional backyard pig raising. These systems differ from the level of technology employed, degree of vertical integration, quantity and quality of pigs raised.

Traditional and small scale production systems once was the leading ones in Mexico pig industry, but the main system of pig production in Mexico now is factory farms, that is the technically intensive pig farming.

Pig producers that operate technically advanced production systems raise pigs on special sites, use advanced breeding methods and operate under strict sanitary controls. And most vertically integrated pig farms control the whole process, from pig production to pork distribution.

Small commercial pig farming systems produce fewer pigs than the technical advanced systems. The small producers may use the same with breeding stock of technically advanced systems; but their sanitary controls and marketing are deficient in the matter of those of technically advanced producers.

Traditional backyard pig production is still quite common in the rural and semi-urban regions of Mexico. This system does not follow any established sanitary control procedures, and live pig quality is poor. However, this system is an important source for many consumers because of its low price and freshly slaughtered meat. So it is probably to remain a part of Mexico industry though it is not the leading system any more.
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