Pulse Brain · Growing Health Evidence Index
Tier 4 — Narrative / commentaryPeer-reviewed

The Piggy Solution: Harnessing Food Waste for Sustainable Hog Farming.

Ogwu MC, Hills CE, Pietrosemoli S.

Glob Chall · 2025

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Summary

This paper reviews the use of food waste as a feed input in swine production systems, framing it as a practical solution to dual challenges of agricultural waste management and the environmental costs of conventional feed production. The authors, drawing on interdisciplinary perspectives, likely assess technical, regulatory, and sustainability considerations across different geographic and policy contexts. The work contributes to growing literature on circular food economy approaches in livestock agriculture.

UK applicability

Directly relevant to UK policy debates: the feeding of catering and kitchen waste (swill) to pigs is currently prohibited in the UK and EU following the 2001 foot-and-mouth disease outbreak, though there is active advocacy for regulated reinstatement. This paper may inform evidence-based reconsideration of that prohibition, particularly in the context of food waste reduction targets under the Environment Act and circular economy strategies.

Key measures

Feed conversion efficiency; food waste diversion rates; greenhouse gas or emissions estimates; production economics; biosecurity risk indicators

Outcomes reported

The paper likely examines the viability, efficiency, and sustainability outcomes of using food waste as a feed resource in hog farming, including potential reductions in feed costs, waste volumes, and environmental footprint. It may also consider biosecurity, regulatory, and nutritional dimensions of swill feeding practices.

Theme
Farming systems, soils & land use
Subject
Livestock systems & feed resources
Study type
Narrative Review
Study design
Narrative review
Source type
Peer-reviewed study
Status
Published
Geography
International
System type
Monogastric livestock (swine)
DOI
10.1002/gch2.202500073
Catalogue ID
NRmo3f02hq-086

Topic tags

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