PHOTOS: MATTI TURTIAINEN
FARM VISIT ▶▶▶
Farming wild boar in times of ASF
In Finland, wild boar are not only roaming the forests, they are also being farmed as their meat is considered a delicacy. Although the country is free from African Swine Fever, the virus is relatively close by in Russia, so there is constant vigilance for the virus. How do wild boar get farmed there? And how can they be protected properly?
BY MATTI TURTIAINEN, CORRESPONDENT O PROFILE
Name: Juho Reinikainen. Function: Owner of Korpikarju Game Farm. Description: Korpikarju Game Farm is a wild boar farm in Liperi municipality, Finland, which has 12 sows and a total population of roughly 150 wild boar. Wild boar meat is a delicacy in Finland. At age 1.5 years, the animals are slaughtered onsite and processed in a nearby plant. The farm’s location is relatively remote, with only one pig farm in the Liperi municipality and the next being 50km away.
ne of the easternmost wild boar farms in Finland is in Viinijärvi in Liperi, about one hour’s drive from the border with Russia. There, Juho Reinika- inen runs Korpikarju Game Farm. Reinikainen
says, “We bought the shelter and land from the previous farmer in 2013. After the fences had been repaired, we
started to acquire animals through the Finnish Wild Pig Farm- ers’ Association. We bought breeding animals from a couple of different suppliers.” So far, farming has been mainly an activity he does in addi- tion to his day job, but Reinikainen is keen to take things to the next level. He recently invested in more animals. Reinikainen says, “The main activity has been to bring a little more special meat onto the market. Wild boar meat is pretty much a seasonal specialty. Hams go at Christmas, and there is growing demand for a bit more special meat even at Easter. When the barbecue season begins, the demand for sausages resumes.” In Finland, wild boar is sold not only freshly cut and pro- cessed into various forms, but also frozen and as whole wild boar. Reinikainen, who is qualified to work as a slaughterer, says, “We even deliver wild boar to parties, served and hot on the table. If customers would like me to, I can turn up at the event to cut it.”
Natural education A wild boar does not get produced in the same fashion as con- ventional pigs, hence payment does not follow a similar path. Production is completely market-based. The Korpikarju farm currently has 150 wild boar in an area of 2ha. The farm is divid- ed into two parts – one for finishers, the other for sows and piglets. The farm is surrounded by a steel mesh fence, which is just over 2m tall and has been dug into the ground for at least 40cm throughout the entire length. Wild boar tend to root into the ground a lot, so the fence needs to be regularly maintained. Reinikainen says, “Every other year, we usually rent an excava- tor to improve the fence on the farm’s inside.” To keep out African Swine Fever (ASF), electric wires have been installed in connection with the fence, four on the outside and two on the inside of the fence. This is according to a ministerial decree from 2018, and for which wild boar farms receive a fencing grant. Inspections are made to check that the fencing is in accordance with the legislation. Reinikainen has also installed one electric wire at the top of the mesh fence. Its job is to keep lynxes and other animals outside.
Farrowing once a year The herd of wild boar lives outside within the shelter. At the time of the visit, the landscape was muddy because of the
18 ▶ PIG PROGRESS | Volume 37, No. 1, 2021
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