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Hybrid rye in the organic pig trough

By Catherine Dehdashti, UMN Extension Communications Manager
Originally published in the University of Minnesota’s Extension’s Source Magazine Fall 2024


Organic swine in a hoop barn at the West Central Research and Outreach Center in Morris.

Research with organic swine systems began at the University of Minnesota West Central Research and Outreach Center in 2017. “We began asking why people get into organic swine, and also why they don’t,” says Lee Johnston, Extension swine specialist, who is based there in Morris.

The big question
Is it worth it? What to affordably feed pigs in an organic system is a major factor.

Winter hybrid rye is being grown in Minnesota as an alternative to traditional winter rye varieties. A broad research project is underway evaluating organic winter hybrid rye for swine production, involving goals for pig nutrition, meat quality, agronomics and economics.

Read the full article on UMN Extension’s website.

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