Farmers Weekly Awards 2025: Pig Farmer of the Year

Mike Durrant of Bunns Farm, Norfolk, is the Farmers Weekly Awards 2025 Pig Farmer of the Year.

Despite not hailing from a farming background, a love of farming inspired by his grandfather has driven Mike to create his own business from the ground up – with enviable results.

See also: Farmers Weekly Awards 2024: Pig Farmer of the Year

Today, he runs more than 1,700 outdoor sows across two sites in Norfolk, supplying pigs under contract to BQP.

His main unit, relocated to the Worstead Estate in 2024, is home to just over 900 sows on a five-week, all-in all-out breeding system.

A second site in west Norfolk, which was purchased this year, adds a further 800 sows, giving Mike scope to scale performance and develop staff while keeping high standards consistent.

Sound technical performance

Mike excels on technical performance, with sows averaging 29 pigs weaned a sow a year, and recent farrowings producing 14.1 born alive and 12.7 weaned a litter.

Weaning weights sit at 9.5kg at five weeks, while mortality is consistently less than 10%.

Genetics are Rattlerow-derived, selected for growth and durability.

ABN provides feed through BQP, with rations tuned to outdoor conditions.

Farrowing huts are bucket-fed daily (via quad bike or UTV) to maintain appetite and close observation, while ad-lib trial feeders are reducing labour and diesel use.

Health planning is rigorous. The herd is fully vaccinated, with quarterly vet visits.

Mastitis linked to extreme summer heat has been managed through adapted feeding regimes, early-morning workloads and shade provision.

Antibiotics use is kept to a minimum.

Strong team culture

Mike employs a close-knit team, blending family members and new entrants to farming.

Roles are clearly defined, and training is systematic, covering standard operating procedures, first aid, injection and humane culling.

A flexible rota and open communication keep morale high and retention strong.

“Healthy, stress-free pigs perform better. And the same applies to staff – if people feel valued, they put more into the job,” says Mike.

Environmental care and innovation

The relocation to the Worstead Estate showed determination and vision. Mike personally moved the equipment 90 miles over four months to establish the site.

He then set about building resilience into land use and water management.

Grass cover is maintained through reseeding and harrowing, buffer strips are in place, and bee and pollinator mixes surround the radial service paddocks.

Working with The Rivers Trust, Mike has mapped water flow and adjusted layouts to reduce run-off risk.

Simple sprinklers and pig shades help keep sows cool while cutting tractor movements for wallow filling.

Operating under BQP provides price stability and support with nutrition and veterinary care, allowing Mike to focus on detail and staff development.

His longer-term aim is to transition the second site onto the five-week, all-in, all-out system.

What the judges say

“Mike is a highly skilled pigman who has built a resilient, well-performing business with clear vision for the future. His units are efficient, welfare-focused and forward-looking.

“He is an excellent ambassador for the British pig sector.”