Media release no.
Agriculture Western Australia has commended senior technical officer Hugh Payne for his work in developing a low-cost, viable housing alternative for pigs, which has gained rapid acceptance by the local industry. Dr Robertson said the award highlighted the terrific work and advancements being driven by people within the agency for the benefit of agriculture. For the past six years, Mr Payne has been investigating lower cost shelter options as alternatives to the high capital cost of conventional buildings that could inhibit investment in the State's pig industry. The research measured the performance of grower-finisher pigs, economic implications and management issues associated with the housing system. Mr Payne said the production data enabled producers to assess the performance of the new shelters and had resulted in the development of more than 300 straw-based shelters in WA in the past five years.