In a harsh, northern climate and under restrictive animal welfare laws and a strict ban on the use of subtherapeutic antibiotics, Swedish pig farmers have developed a managementintensive system of pig production that relies on straw, the animals' natural behavior, group housing dynamics, and keen husbandry skills. The system is very efficient, with excellent pig reproduction and growth performance. The housing is simple and versatile. Called “Västgötmodellen” after the region in western Sweden where it was developed by farmers during the 1980s, the system now is successfully used on approximately 100 farms in Sweden. The system is specific to producing feeder or weanerpigs of 25 to 30 kg for feeding in more conventional European-style finishing units. Västgötmodellen may represent an agricultural system that is well adapted and economically competitive on modest-sized farms but not well suited for very large farms.
