Pastured vs Conventional Pork: Nutrition comparison?

[susan12]

Hi,

I'm hoping to find some quantitative info comparing pastured pork to conventional pork nutritionally. If you've ever seen such info, I'd be really interested to see it. If not, educated speculation is welcome. Specifically, I'm wondering about the fat content and whether omnivorous animals is as adversely affected as that of ruminants when they pretty much just eat grain/soy, seeing as omnivores will not get as sick as cattle do on grain-based diets.

My husband and I bought Frederick, the 4-H pig recently at the county fair (having given up on finding pastured pork in our area). The girl who raised Frederick said he mostly ate grain and some soy and that he got to forage some. Frederick is certainly the best pork I've ever tasted. He was a healthy, handsome pig raised individually by a girl who really seemed to care a lot about the whole process, so I think Frederick is a far sight better than conventional, but he's still not up the level of a pastured pig. I'm just curious how great that divide is between conventional and pastured pork...

Susan.

 

[TexasBred]

Buying and eating a show pig is about 180 degrees from pasture pigs. That show pig was filled to the limits with antibiotics etc. if he was fed a regular show ration which is primarily corn and soybean meal plus a the medications, but he should have been very lean and "tasteless".
I'd think pasture pigs should be pretty lean as pigs don't digest fiber very well and would have to be kept on young tender grasses and roots to get any real benefit and it would probably take at least twice as long to get one to slaughter weight.

 

[Engler]

Susan

I'm going to have to argue with you about the "show pig" being lean and tasteless. Based on what I've seen as recently as yesterday at the Iowa State Fair lean is out. The breeding gilts that were winning have at least .9" of backfat, probably well over an inch on most of them. The purebred barrows that showed yesterday afternoon were at least that greasy on many of them. I know the ones that I'm feeding for next weekend have WAY more cover than the ones that I showed 10-15 years ago. Yes there is some level of antibiotics in many of the show feeds, but so is there in the commercial rations. What isn't in many of the show feeds is DDG that we are using a lot of in commercial ration. That does really bad things to the quality of the bellies.

To the OP what I would say about the difference in pastured vs conventional vs show pigs is that there is an additive effect in play. Odds are the pasture pigs are going to be either heritage breed or at least one of the more rugged mainstream breeds. Those more rugged breeds-Chester White, Duroc or Berk, are by there nature better eating hogs. Much like the comparison to Angus vs the old school exotics. Yes diet will probably play into the quality of the pork, but a good well balanced ration of corn and sbm with vit and minerals added should be at least as good as pasture reared.

If you want to get into an arguement about animal wellfare I understand that there is something to be said about being able to get out and kick up their heels. But there is also something to be said about being in a climate controled, dry building when it's -20 outside.