Hog hell in Murchison: Hundreds of pigs left to starve

SAID to be skint, a ‘development farmer’ in Murchison now seems to have left about 100 pigs and 400 piglets to risk death from thirst, starvation and overcrowding.

The problem has apparently being going on for more than a year, with the Lower South Coast SPCA trying its best to get the farmer to do something about the conditions the porkers live under, but in vain.

Three warnings were issued by SPCA Inspector Julia Watson to the man who also runs a business in Durban.

Finally, on Friday last week, inspectors had to step in and take action. They are now recommending the farm be shut down.

In a rescue operation, Michael Muller, manager of the LSC SPCA, said the SPCA brought R2 000 worth of food (and some saw-dust) and made an appeal on social media.

“The community and supermarkets were very generous,” he said.

Inspector Watson said many attempts had been made to meet with the owner, but he was obviously avoiding them. They had no alternative but to intervene and investigate. The owner also slammed the phone down when the Herald contacted him for comment.

“We really want to work with the owner, but he has to come to the party and co-operate,” said Inspector Watson.

On Tuesday morning, a tanker delivered about 5 000 litres of water to the piggery, but by late afternoon the pipes were already dry.

The Herald journalist found the pigs squealing, grunting and snorting loudly in their enclosures, some desperately sucking the dry pipes.

Cramped up, hungry and thirsty, they were fighting each other.

In one pen, a group of stressed sows had eaten their 10 piglets alive.

A veterinarian suspected that their behaviour was due to stress.

” Pigs drink a lot of water and, if they don’t get enough, it can lead to swelling on the brain and severe signs of nervousness.”

Mr Muller felt that, even if the farmer had run out of money, there was no excuse for allowing them to starve. There was always a way to collect waste food.

Sources said that the farmer was given R1-million by the Department of Agriculture to run the farm.

It was once thriving chicken farm and was modified to become a piggery which is now in ruins.

The Herald’s investigation revealed:

* Due to a broken bore-hole pump, staff were unable to clean the pens, which were filthy, unhygienic and over-run by rats.

* Many of the sows and little piglets lived on cold and hard concrete. As a result, they had developed sores on their legs and joints. No hay or saw-dust had been provided for the piglets.

* Despite staff trying their best, their hands were tied and they said they were faced with many obstacles. There was no vehicle to run the farm.

* Although slight improvements had been made, there were not enough pens to accommodate the growing population. Some sows were kept in cages, with little space for movement.

* Animals were left to suffer due to mismanagement of funds and no forward planning.

* It’s believed the staff had not been paid.