title: Such as pigs eat: the rise and fall of the pannage pig in the UK.
abstract: Mast-feeding systems once formed the mainstay of pork production across Europe, but have now largely been forgotten. One of the earliest farming practices, it allowed people to fatten pigs on an otherwise wasted resource. Mast feeding was vital in the ancient world: Rome, Saxon England and the Normans all relied heavily on woodland pigs. As time and technology advanced, mast systems became outmoded and fell into disuse. However, recent public interest in improved animal welfare and sustainable agriculture, combined with anecdotal reports of improved flavour, has once again brought mast feeding into the spotlight. This article chronicles the changes in popularity and perception of mast-feeding systems throughout history, and uses the historical perspective to outline a possible future for woodland pigs.
authors.affiliation: School of Agriculture, Policy and Development, University of Reading, Berkshire, RG6 6AR, UK. a.l.wealleans@pgr.reading.ac.uk
authors.forename: Alexandra L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Wealleans
mesh_terms: D000822:Animal Husbandry / Q000191:economics / Q000266:history* / Q000639:trends; D000818:Animals; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources / Q000191:economics / Q000639:trends; D004032:Diet / Q000191:economics / Q000662:veterinary*; D004463:Ecology / Q000191:economics / Q000639:trends; D063427:Food Quality; D016468:Forestry / Q000191:economics / Q000266:history / Q000639:trends; D049668:History, 15th Century; D049669:History, 16th Century; D049670:History, 17th Century; D049671:History, 18th Century; D049690:History, Ancient; D049691:History, Medieval; D006801:Humans; D008460:Meat / Q000191:economics; D034421:Sus scrofa / Q000254:growth & development*; D006113:United Kingdom