How To Make IMO

The natural pig farming deep bed system focuses on the use of indigenous micro-organisms (IMO).

These are the natural organisms that can be found in the local area. There are two different enzyme/microbe rich mixtures that are used.

They are cheap, easy to make solutions and are produced by fermenting natural plant and fruit materials with sugar. These are diluted in water and poured via a wateringcan onto the piggery bedding once a week.

Fermented plant juice

This is one of the two very effective solutions we make to encourage high IMO activity in the deep pen flooring. Below is the process you need to follow to create your fermented plant juice solution.

• Pick plant material you wish to use early in the morning before they (plants) loses nutrient values to photosynthesis. It may be potatoes, cassava, bananas or any green plant.
• Chop the plant up into very small pieces
• Add half plant material to a container and line it with half the sugar
• Add the remaining half and put in sugar
• Compress with weight on top (a bag filled with water is very effective)
• Quantity: 7kg plant material to 3kg sugar
• Leave for 8-10 days
• Drain and collect the juice – this is now your fermented plant juice solution
• When ready, apply to bedding and add approximately 2 spoons of FPJ to 10 liters of water
• Pour via watering can onto the pigpen bedding (and then continue to add to the flooring on a weekly basis)

Fermented fruit juice

Pick the fruit (s) it may be jackfruit, oranges, mangoes, etc.

• Chop into small pieces
• Add 1kg of fruit: 1kg sugar
• Put half the fruit in a container and add half the sugar.
• Add the remaining fruit and put the remaining sugar.
• Seal the container with a paper lid (this allows for air to enter and leave the container).
• Leave for 8-10 days.
• Squeeze fruit to extract all juice.
• Pour the juice into a jar.
• Use 2 spoons of juice to 10 liters of water. Mix.
• With a watering can, pour water on the bedding surface of the pig’s pen