A pig farm in Dorset is celebrating after picking up trophies at this year’s National Pig Awards.
Martin Atkin, manager of Crockway Farms near Maiden Newton, oversees more than 3,000 sows, producing 2,500 piglets a week, which are reared on site until they are 35kg.
The farm picked up the award for Overall Pig Producer of the Year and Indoor Pig Producer of the year at a ceremony earlier this week in London, attended by more than 400 people.
Consisting of 22 staff members, the team have consistently produced more than 39 pigs weaned per sow, per year, with more than 16 piglets weaned per litter.
Its industry-leading figures are founded, according to Mr Atkin, on the attention to detail and quality of pig husbandry throughout the system, with a big emphasis on welfare, combined with the Danish genetics they use and carefully targeted diets that are milled on site.
The National Pig Awards is regarded as the UK pig industry's big night, showcasing and celebrating those leading the sector in excellence and innovation.
There was another award for the unit, when head of farrowing, Clementine Milton, was named Young Pig Farmer of the Year.
She leads a team of eight in the farrowing house, and according to judges, plays a part in delivering the unit’s high performance and health and welfare standards, including implementing real-time technology for recording performance and antibiotic usage.
There was further success for the business when the Finisher of the Year award went to Bob Helingoe, who operates an 8,000-place finishing farm for Crockway Farms in Somerset.
National Pig Awards head judge, Stewart Houston, said: “Crockway Farms was an outstanding winner, a really well-run business, achieving eye-catching performance figures, thanks to a highly-motivated and effective staff who put pig husbandry first".
“This was another excellent year for entries. Congratulations all our winners on the night – and well done to all the finalists for getting this far".
“These awards are all about highlighting good practice and, hopefully inspiring others to greater things – all our winners have certainly done that.”
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