Our Story

For more than three decades, Otway Pork has been dedicated to raising pigs outdoors. Our founders recognised the value of an outdoor approach, allowing the animals to thrive in a natural habitat while minimising the impact on the environment.

Today, we remain dedicated to this commitment. Through consistently upholding ethical and sustainable practices across our operations – from our farms to our supply chain – we have grown into one of the nation’s largest outdoor pork producers.

Our story is one driven by innovation, passion and ethical farming practices that prioritise animal welfare and environmental stewardship.

The Otway Way is our commitment to ethical and sustainable practices from farm to plate.

Our pigs are:

Always born and bred outdoors
Raised with freedom to socialise and forage
Fed a tailored and natural grain-based diet
Free from growth promotants and hormones
Produced with care, to deliver a consistently high-quality taste

Our products use 100% Australian grown pork, produced by a 100% Australian owned company.

We are dedicated to the continual improvement of animal welfare and sustainable farming practices.

Our Approach

Otway Pork is proud of its commitment to producing premium quality pork through an approach that has placed ethical and sustainable practices at the heart of the operation for more than 30 years.

All pigs at our farms are bred and born free-range.

Free-range sows give birth in spacious purpose-built farrowing huts. The piglets are kept with their mothers safely and allowed to run free with access to shelter, feed and water until weaned.

Piglets on the certified free-range farms remain in outdoor paddocks where they are free to roam and have access to shelter, food and water when they choose.

Piglets on our other farms are moved to straw-lined eco-shelters. They have fresh air and protection from the elements including harsh weather, disease and pests, and can socialise and eat and drink when they choose as well as being able to run, play with pig-appropriate toys for entertainment, and nest in the straw bedding.

APIQ Accredited

Our approach is run in line with the Australian Pork Limited accredited systems known as APIQ Free Range and APIQ Outdoor Bred Raised Indoor on Straw.

Sustainability

At Otway Pork, we’re dedicated to continuously enhancing our farming methods to minimise environmental impact while improving the natural landscape.

Circular soil cultivation

Naturally, pigs like to dig, root and wallow in the soil. This is a natural method of cultivation which promotes microbial activity and ultimately increases the nutrient content of the soil. These soil nutrients are then used to grow cereal crops, forming part of an ongoing feed cycle and maintaining the soil nutrient levels in a sustainable equilibrium.

Water conservation practices

Employing water-saving technologies like drip irrigation, rainwater harvesting systems, and implementing strategies to minimise water usage in livestock operations.

Efficient resource management

We use advanced technologies for efficient use of water and energy, reducing waste through composting, and implementing circular rotation cropping-grazing systems for recycling nutrients.

Biodiversity conservation

Implementing habitat restoration initiatives, preserving natural areas on the farm, planting native vegetation, and promoting biodiversity-friendly farming practices to support local ecosystems.

Reduced carbon footprint

We aim to minimise greenhouse gas emissions through implementing renewable energy sources such as solar panels, and optimising transportation logistics to reduce food miles across our supply chain.

Integrated waste management

Implementing systems to manage waste effectively, such as composting of manure and organic matter to create nutrient-rich soil amendments, and using biogas digesters to convert waste into renewable energy.

Animal welfare standards

At Otway Pork, we ensure high standards of animal welfare by providing ample space, comfortable housing, ventilation, industry-leading standards of ethical farming practices.

Our team members make a commitment to uphold these animal welfare standards and undertake industry-recognised training in essential handling skills to provide a minimum- stress environment for our pigs.

Research and education

We engage with world leading research organisations to promote understanding of sustainable farming practices and foster transparency.

The University of Melbourne has recently completed a review of our free-range weaner pens, while another study with the university’s Animal Welfare Science Centre used our farms to address the designs of farrowing huts and strawing levels.

Community Engagement

At Otway Pork, we are proud to be an active part of the vibrant Western Victoria community. We believe in supporting and engaging with our neighbours in meaningful ways.

Whether it’s rallying behind the Edenhope Football Club (Go Saints!), cheering for the Winchelsea Cricket Club, supporting the vital work of Lifeline Geelong, or contributing our premium pork to local fundraisers, we are dedicated to making a positive impact where we live and work.

Our History

1992

The Pastoral Pork Company is founded

The Pastoral Pork Company was founded by a group of families involved in agriculture passionate about the pork industry and looking to bring outdoor pork production to Australia. The first farm was in Victoria’s Western District, and each of the founding members contributed unique perspective and skills to the company ranging from pig production and nutrition to agricultural engineering and agribusiness expertise.

2000

Otway Pork Brand Established

The Otway Pork brand was established, to connect consumers directly to the high-quality pork product being produced on our farms. This vertical integration, including the development of value-added products, increased our access to butchers, delis, restaurants, cafes, supermarkets, food service and export markets, allowing us to take The Otway Way to the public.

2004

Eco-shelter development

Eco-shelters were developed on the farms to provide protection, shelter and warmth for the pigs while allowing them the space and freedom to roam, run, socialise and eat when they chose. Straw bedding was included for increased comfort.

2005

Farrowing huts

Free-range farrowing huts were developed to provide the optimal environment for sows to safely raise their young in the outdoors. The design of the farrowing huts has been a hallmark of the organisation and is constantly evolving to improve condition for the pigs, including the trialling and adoption of international best practices to meet location conditions. This evolution continues today, with research on the farrowing huts currently being conducted by the University of Melbourne and other leading animal welfare organisations.

2009
- 2016

Expansion

To meet increasing demand for Otway Pork, the business expanded, acquiring additional farms across Western District to the South Australian border, including an existing outdoor piggery at Edenhope and a free-range farm at Shelford.

2024

Continuing innovation

Today, The Pastoral Pork Company continues its industry-leading approach that place the welfare of our pigs at the heart of our operation. Our brand, Otway Pork, is sold in butchers, delis, cafes, restaurants, supermarkets and speciality retail outlets across the country, with exports to South East Asia.

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