Welfare of pigs on farm
Abstract This scientific opinion focuses on the welfare of pigs on farm, and is based on literature and expert opinion. All pig categories were assessed: gilts and dry sows, farrowing and lactating sows, suckling piglets, weaners, rearing pigs and boars. The most relevant husbandry systems used in E...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Wiley
2022-08-01
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| Series: | EFSA Journal |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.2903/j.efsa.2022.7421 |
| _version_ | 1817983170036891648 |
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| author | EFSA Panel on Animal Health and Welfare (AHAW) Søren Saxmose Nielsen Julio Alvarez Dominique Joseph Bicout Paolo Calistri Elisabetta Canali Julian Ashley Drewe Bruno Garin‐Bastuji Jose Luis Gonzales Rojas Gortázar Schmidt Mette Herskin Virginie Michel Miguel Ángel Miranda Chueca Olaf Mosbach‐Schulz Barbara Padalino Helen Clare Roberts Karl Stahl Antonio Velarde Arvo Viltrop Christoph Winckler Sandra Edwards Sonya Ivanova Christine Leeb Beat Wechsler Chiara Fabris Eliana Lima Olaf Mosbach‐Schulz Yves Van der Stede Marika Vitali Hans Spoolder |
| author_facet | EFSA Panel on Animal Health and Welfare (AHAW) Søren Saxmose Nielsen Julio Alvarez Dominique Joseph Bicout Paolo Calistri Elisabetta Canali Julian Ashley Drewe Bruno Garin‐Bastuji Jose Luis Gonzales Rojas Gortázar Schmidt Mette Herskin Virginie Michel Miguel Ángel Miranda Chueca Olaf Mosbach‐Schulz Barbara Padalino Helen Clare Roberts Karl Stahl Antonio Velarde Arvo Viltrop Christoph Winckler Sandra Edwards Sonya Ivanova Christine Leeb Beat Wechsler Chiara Fabris Eliana Lima Olaf Mosbach‐Schulz Yves Van der Stede Marika Vitali Hans Spoolder |
| author_sort | EFSA Panel on Animal Health and Welfare (AHAW) |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract This scientific opinion focuses on the welfare of pigs on farm, and is based on literature and expert opinion. All pig categories were assessed: gilts and dry sows, farrowing and lactating sows, suckling piglets, weaners, rearing pigs and boars. The most relevant husbandry systems used in Europe are described. For each system, highly relevant welfare consequences were identified, as well as related animal‐based measures (ABMs), and hazards leading to the welfare consequences. Moreover, measures to prevent or correct the hazards and/or mitigate the welfare consequences are recommended. Recommendations are also provided on quantitative or qualitative criteria to answer specific questions on the welfare of pigs related to tail biting and related to the European Citizen's Initiative ‘End the Cage Age’. For example, the AHAW Panel recommends how to mitigate group stress when dry sows and gilts are grouped immediately after weaning or in early pregnancy. Results of a comparative qualitative assessment suggested that long‐stemmed or long‐cut straw, hay or haylage is the most suitable material for nest‐building. A period of time will be needed for staff and animals to adapt to housing lactating sows and their piglets in farrowing pens (as opposed to crates) before achieving stable welfare outcomes. The panel recommends a minimum available space to the lactating sow to ensure piglet welfare (measured by live‐born piglet mortality). Among the main risk factors for tail biting are space allowance, types of flooring, air quality, health status and diet composition, while weaning age was not associated directly with tail biting in later life. The relationship between the availability of space and growth rate, lying behaviour and tail biting in rearing pigs is quantified and presented. Finally, the panel suggests a set of ABMs to use at slaughter for monitoring on‐farm welfare of cull sows and rearing pigs. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T23:30:01Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a9492ab12feb4a2a9ef76e5d840d2246 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1831-4732 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T23:30:01Z |
| publishDate | 2022-08-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | EFSA Journal |
| spelling | doaj.art-a9492ab12feb4a2a9ef76e5d840d22462022-12-22T02:24:57ZengWileyEFSA Journal1831-47322022-08-01208n/an/a10.2903/j.efsa.2022.7421Welfare of pigs on farmEFSA Panel on Animal Health and Welfare (AHAW)Søren Saxmose NielsenJulio AlvarezDominique Joseph BicoutPaolo CalistriElisabetta CanaliJulian Ashley DreweBruno Garin‐BastujiJose Luis Gonzales RojasGortázar SchmidtMette HerskinVirginie MichelMiguel Ángel Miranda ChuecaOlaf Mosbach‐SchulzBarbara PadalinoHelen Clare RobertsKarl StahlAntonio VelardeArvo ViltropChristoph WincklerSandra EdwardsSonya IvanovaChristine LeebBeat WechslerChiara FabrisEliana LimaOlaf Mosbach‐SchulzYves Van der StedeMarika VitaliHans SpoolderAbstract This scientific opinion focuses on the welfare of pigs on farm, and is based on literature and expert opinion. All pig categories were assessed: gilts and dry sows, farrowing and lactating sows, suckling piglets, weaners, rearing pigs and boars. The most relevant husbandry systems used in Europe are described. For each system, highly relevant welfare consequences were identified, as well as related animal‐based measures (ABMs), and hazards leading to the welfare consequences. Moreover, measures to prevent or correct the hazards and/or mitigate the welfare consequences are recommended. Recommendations are also provided on quantitative or qualitative criteria to answer specific questions on the welfare of pigs related to tail biting and related to the European Citizen's Initiative ‘End the Cage Age’. For example, the AHAW Panel recommends how to mitigate group stress when dry sows and gilts are grouped immediately after weaning or in early pregnancy. Results of a comparative qualitative assessment suggested that long‐stemmed or long‐cut straw, hay or haylage is the most suitable material for nest‐building. A period of time will be needed for staff and animals to adapt to housing lactating sows and their piglets in farrowing pens (as opposed to crates) before achieving stable welfare outcomes. The panel recommends a minimum available space to the lactating sow to ensure piglet welfare (measured by live‐born piglet mortality). Among the main risk factors for tail biting are space allowance, types of flooring, air quality, health status and diet composition, while weaning age was not associated directly with tail biting in later life. The relationship between the availability of space and growth rate, lying behaviour and tail biting in rearing pigs is quantified and presented. Finally, the panel suggests a set of ABMs to use at slaughter for monitoring on‐farm welfare of cull sows and rearing pigs.https://doi.org/10.2903/j.efsa.2022.7421on‐farm pig welfarepig categorieshusbandry systemswelfare consequencesanimal‐based measuresend the cage age |
| spellingShingle | EFSA Panel on Animal Health and Welfare (AHAW) Søren Saxmose Nielsen Julio Alvarez Dominique Joseph Bicout Paolo Calistri Elisabetta Canali Julian Ashley Drewe Bruno Garin‐Bastuji Jose Luis Gonzales Rojas Gortázar Schmidt Mette Herskin Virginie Michel Miguel Ángel Miranda Chueca Olaf Mosbach‐Schulz Barbara Padalino Helen Clare Roberts Karl Stahl Antonio Velarde Arvo Viltrop Christoph Winckler Sandra Edwards Sonya Ivanova Christine Leeb Beat Wechsler Chiara Fabris Eliana Lima Olaf Mosbach‐Schulz Yves Van der Stede Marika Vitali Hans Spoolder Welfare of pigs on farm EFSA Journal on‐farm pig welfare pig categories husbandry systems welfare consequences animal‐based measures end the cage age |
| title | Welfare of pigs on farm |
| title_full | Welfare of pigs on farm |
| title_fullStr | Welfare of pigs on farm |
| title_full_unstemmed | Welfare of pigs on farm |
| title_short | Welfare of pigs on farm |
| title_sort | welfare of pigs on farm |
| topic | on‐farm pig welfare pig categories husbandry systems welfare consequences animal‐based measures end the cage age |
| url | https://doi.org/10.2903/j.efsa.2022.7421 |
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