Natural pig farming harnesses these beneficial properties to successfully raise animals and grow crops in the most low cost environmentally friendly way. They are a key element of all inputs into the natural pig farming deep bed system, promoting health and preventing disease. They are also a key input to ensuring a healthy pig pen floor.
We tend to use two different enzyme/microbe rich mixtures (either of which can be used) that have foster high indigenous micro organism activity when used in the deep bed flooring. They are cheap, easy to make solutions and are produced by fermenting natural plant and fruit materials with sugar. These are diluted in water and poured via watering can onto the pen bedding once a week.
Deep bedding has its components and IMOs are one of the major reason behind why DBS is the most successful technique so far in clean pig farming.
1.) Fermented plant juice (FPJ)
This is one of the two very effective solutions we make to encourage high IMO activity in the deep pen flooring. Below is the process you need to follow to create your FPJ solution.
- Pick plant material you wish to use early in morning before plant loses nutrient values to photosynthesis.
- Any green plant / vegetation will be fine to use: We tend to use Chinese water vegetable which grows wild and is readily available but plants like banana sprout, young bamboo etc. can also be used.
- Chop plant up into very small pieces
- Add half plant material to a container and line with half the sugar
- Add remaining half and add remaining sugar
- Compress with weight on top (a bag filled with water is very effective)
- Quantity: 7kg plant material to 3 kg sugar
- Leave for 8-10 days
- Drain and collect the juice – this is now your fermented plant juice solution (FPJ)
- When ready to apply to bedding add approximately 2 spoons of FPJ to 10 liter of water
- Pour via watering can onto the pig pen bedding (and then continue to add to the flooring on weekly basis)
Just this small addition of FPJ will stimulate high indigenous micro-organism development and activity sufficient to rapidly break down any excrement and keep the bed healthy and smell free.
2) Fermented Fruit Juice (FFJ)
This is the other solution you can use to foster high IMO activity. You can use any kind of fruit but those fruit types that are likely to generate lots of juice are best.
- Pick the fruit
- Chop into small pieces
- Add 1kg fruit : 1kg sugar
- Put half the fruit in a container and add half the sugar.
- Add the remaining fruit and add the remaining sugar.
- Seal container with paper lid (this allows for air to enter and leave container).
- Leave for 8-10 days.
- Squeeze fruit to extract all juice.
- Pour juice into jar.
- Use 2 spoons of juice to 10 liter of water. Mix.
- With watering can pour water on the bedding surface of the pig’s pen.
Source : www.naturalpigfarming.com/
