Niman Ranch Pork
Vs.
C.A.F.O. Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations

1. Niman Ranch hogs are owned, bred, raised, and cared for by family farmers.  That is, farmers whose primary income is derived from raising hogs.

C.A.F.O. operations utilize “contract growers”. A contract grower is a hog grower who is in business to put weight on the animals and in most cases doesn’t even own the animals. The processor owns the animals and dictates all aspects of the animal’s feed, breed, medications, finished weight, etc.

2. Niman Ranch’s family of hog farmers raise Farmers Hybrid hogs for the most part which is an heirloom breed developed for its ability to thrive outdoors and most importantly for its great taste.  Farmers Hybrid pigs develop thick back fat, marbled muscles and have great moisture retention.

C.A.F.O. animals are bred for leanness so the meat shows well in the grocery store.

3. Niman Ranch hogs are never fed antibiotics or given any added hormones and are fed rations of corn, wheat, barley, ground soy, and naturally occurring grasses.

C.A.F.O. animals are fed a ration dosed with antibiotics to promote growth and prevent illness that is prevalent when animals are confined in close quarters.

4. Niman Ranch hogs are raised outdoors and are provided shelters designed to emulate a natural habitat.  Deeply bedded straw inside of Swedish Hoop houses or similar structures provide an environment that allows pigs to behave normally, to root, run, and create their nests for giving birth.

C.A.F.O. facilities are built to house thousands of animals in a tightly confined space.  The floors are made of slatted concrete over pools of liquid manure utilizing powerful exhaust fans to force the stench outside into the communities in which they are built.  These animals are confined in cages and must have their tails docked in order to prevent other pigs from biting them.  They spend their entire lives in these cages.

5. Niman Ranch sows are bred with boars, allowed to farrow naturally and piglets are given six to eight weeks before they are weaned.

C.A.F.O. animals are artificially inseminated and piglets are weaned on average at 17 days.  The piglets are then moved to their own cages and fed antibiotics that they would have received naturally though nursing.

Lone Star Foodservice is proud to market Niman Ranch Pork, the only pork processor in the United States endorsed by the Animal Welfare Institute.