pig code.pdf

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Pigs

Code of Recommenda tions for

the Welfare of Livestock

Printed on Recycled Pape r containing 75% post consumer

wa ste a nd 25% Elementa l Chlorine Free virgin pulp.

Defra Publications, Admail 6000London, SW1A 2XX Crown Copyright Ma rch 2003 PB 7950


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C ode ofRecom m endationsfor the W elfare ofLivestock: Pigs

Note

A fter consultation, this Code, (w hich co nsists ofparagraphs 1 to 127), has been put before bo thH ouses of Parliam ent for authority to issue it underSection 3 of the A griculture (M iscellaneousProvisions) Act 1968.

This Section allow s "the M inisters" to produce codesof recom m endations for the w elfare of livestock andto issue such codes once they have been approved indraft by both H ouses of Parliam ent. How ever, theoriginal definition of "the M inisters" (see Section 50

of the 1968 Act) has been changed to reflectdevolution for Scotland and W ales and the creationof the D epartm ent for Environm ent, Food and RuralAffairs. In England, the pow ers of "the M inisters"w ere first transferred to the M inister of Agriculture,Fisheries and Food by the Transfer of Functions(Agriculture and Food) O rder 1999 (S.I. 1999/3141)and then transferred to the Secretary of State bythe M inistry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Foo d(Dissolution) Order 2002 (S.I. 2002/794).

In Scotland, the pow ers of "the M inisters" h adpreviou sly been transferred to the Scottish M inistersby Section 53 of the Scotland Act 1998 (1998 c.46)and, in W ales, the pow ers of "the M inisters"had previously been transferred to the N ational

A ssem bly for W ales by article 2 (a) of the NationalA ssem bly for W ales (Transfer of Functions) O rder1999 (S.I. 1999/672).

Any reference in this Code to advisory publicationsis for inform ation only and does not form part ofthis Code.


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Page Paragraphs

Management 22 78 - 92G eneral 22 78 - 79Environm ental enrichm ent 22 80 - 81C astration 22 82Tail docking 23 83 - 86Teeth clipping/grinding 23 87 - 88N atural service 24 89A rtificial insem ination , vasectom y and electro-ejaculation 24 90 - 92

Section 2 Specific recom m endations

Farrowing sows and piglets 26 93 - 99

Weaners and rearing pigs 28 100 - 101

Dry sows and gilts 29 102 - 105

Boars 30 106 - 108

Pigs kept in outdoor husbandry systems 31 109 - 127G eneral 31 109 - 112

Biosecurity 31 113 - 114

A ccom m odation 31 115 - 118

Feed and w ater 32 119 - 121

Fences 32 122 - 124

Farrow ing sow s and piglets 32 125 - 126

N ose ringing 32 127

A ppendix

Useful publicationsA Useful publications related to pig w elfare 34

B Legislation related to pig w elfare 35

Code o f Recommenda tions for the Welfare o f Livestock: Pigs

Page Paragraphs

Preface 2

Introduction 5 1 - 6

Section 1 Recom m endations for all pigs

Stockmanship 6 7 - 20G eneral 6 7 - 10

Inspection 6 11 - 13

H andling 7 14 - 16

Transport off-farm 8 17

M arking 9 18 - 20

Health 10 21 - 46

G eneral 10 21 - 22Biosecurity 10 23 - 28

C ondition scoring 11 29

Lam eness 11 30 - 32

External parasites 11 33

Internal parasites 11 34

Equipm ent for vaccination and treatm ent 12 35

N otifiable diseases 12 36 - 37

Sick and injured anim als 12 38 - 44

Record keeping 14 45 - 46

Accommodation 15 47 - 66G eneral 15 47 - 49

Floors 15 50 - 51

Ventilation and tem perature 16 52 - 58

Lighting and noise levels 17 59 - 60A utom ated and m echanical equipm ent 18 61 - 63

Fire and other em ergency precautions 18 64 66

Feed, Water and other Substances 19 67 - 77

Code o f Recommen da tions for t he Welfa re of Livestock: Pigs

C ontents


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32

PrefaceThis preface is not part of the C ode, but is intended to explain its purpose and toindicate the broad considerations upon w hich it is based. Sim ilarly, the legislationquoted in the boxes throughout the docum ent is not part of the C ode but isintended to highlight the relevant legal requirem ents. The law , as quoted in theseboxes, is that in force on the date of publication or reprinting of the C ode (please

turn to the back cover for this inform ation). You should be aw are that any of thelegal requirem ents quoted m ight be subject to change - you should seekconfirm ation before assum ing that these are an accurate statem ent of the lawcurrently in force. (See the A ppendix for a list of relevant legislation).

In R egulation 1 1, it states that:

W here an au tho rised person considers thatanim als are being kept in a w ay w hich is likely to

cause unnecessary pain, suffering or injury, or in

any other w ay in contravention of any provision

of these Reg ulations, he m ay serve a notice on

the person appearing to him to b e in charge of

the an im als requiring that person w ithin the

period stated in the no tice, to take any action

that the authorised p erson considers to be

reason ably necessary to ensure com pliance w ith

these Reg ulations and the autho rised person

shall give his reason s for requiring that action to

be taken.

In Regulation 13 (2), it states that:

In any p roceedings against an ow ner or keeper ofanim als for a failure to com ply w ith Regu lation 3

(1) or 3 (2), the ow ner or keeper as the case m ay

be, m ay rely on his com pliance w ith any relevant

recom m endation s contained in a statutory

w elfare code as tending to establish his

com pliance w ith the relevant Regulation.

The C ode aim s to en courage all those w ho care for

farm anim als to adopt the highest stand ards of

husbandry. W ithout good stockm anship, anim al

w elfare can never be adequ ately protected. If stock-

keepers follow this code it w ill help them to m eet

the necessary w elfare standards. N o m atter how

acceptable a system m ay be in principle, w ithoutcom petent, diligent stockm anship, the w elfare of the

anim als cannot be adequately catered for.

The w elfare of pigs is considered w ithin a fram ew ork

that w as developed b y the Farm Anim al W elfare

C ouncil and know n as the Five Freedom s. Theseform a log ical basis for assessing anim al w elfare

w ithin any husband ry system , together w ith the

actions necessary to safeguard anim al w elfare w ithin

the lim itations of an efficient livestock industry.

The Five Freedo m s are:

1. Freedom from hunger and thirst- by ready access to fresh w ater and a

diet to m aintain full health and vigour;

2. Freedom from discomfort- by providing an appropriate environm ent

including shelter and a com fortable resting

area;

3. Freedom from pain injury or disease- by prevention or by rapid diagnosis and

treatm ent;

4. Freedom to express mostnormal behaviour- by providing sufficient space, proper

facilities and com pany of the anim alsow n kind;

5. Freedom from fear and distress- by ensuring conditions and treatm ent to

avoid m ental suffering.

In acknow ledging these freedo m s, those people

w ho care for livestock should d em on strate: -

caring and responsible planning andm anagem ent;

skilled, know ledgeable and conscientiou sstockm anship;

appropriate environm ental design (for exam ple,of the h usbandry system );

considerate handling and transport;

hum ane slaughter.

The W elfare of Farm ed A nim als (England)

Regu lation s 2000 (S.I. 2000 N o. 1870), Regu lation

10, provides that:

- A ny person w ho em ploys or engages a person to

attend to an im als shall ensure that the person

attending to the anim als:

is acquainted w ith the provision s of all relevantstatutory w elfare codes relating to the an im als

being attended to;

has access to a copy of tho se codes w hile he isattending to the anim als; and

has received instruction and g uidance on tho secodes.

- A ny person w ho keeps anim als, or w ho causes or

know ing ly perm its anim als to be kept, shall not

attend to them unless he has access to all relevantstatutory w elfare codes relating to the an im als

w hile he is attending to them , and is acquainted

w ith the provision s of those codes.

In R egulation 2 it states thatstatutory w elfarecodem eans a code for the tim e being issuedun der Section 3 of the A griculture (M iscellaneous

Provision s) A ct 19 68 .

To cau se unnecessary pain or un necessary distress

to any livestock on agricultural land is an offence

un der Section 1 (1) of the A griculture

(M iscellaneous Provision s) A ct 196 8. The breach ofa code provision, w hilst not an offence in itself, can

nevertheless be u sed in evidence as tending to

establish the guilt of anyon e accused of causing the

offence of causing un necessary pain o r unnecessary

distress under the A ct (Section 3 (4)).

The W elfare of Farm ed A nim als (Eng land)

Regu lations 2000 (S.I. 20 00 N o. 1870 ), Regu lation

3 (1), states that ow ners and keep ers of anim als

shall take all reasonable steps:

to ensure the w elfare of the anim als under theircare; and

to ensure that the anim als are not caused any

un necessary pain, suffering or injury.

In Regulation 3 (3), it states that:

In deciding w hether the condition s under w hichanim als are being bred or kept com ply w ith the

requirem ents set out in Schedule 1 of the

Regu lations, the ow ner and keeper of the anim als

shall have regard to their species, and to their

degree of developm ent, adap tation and

do m estication, and to their ph ysiological and

etholog ical needs in accordance w ith established

experience and scientific kn ow ledge.


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1 This Code (w hich only applies in England) covers

all pigs. The w ord pigsrefers to all porcine stock,and includ es w ild boar kept for farm ing pu rposes.

A piglet refers to a pig from birth to w eaning .

2 The C odes recom m end ations apply to pigs und erall hu sbandry system s. Section 1 of the C od e gives

the recom m endation s that apply to all ages and

types of pig. Section 2 covers the recom m endation s

that ap ply to specific categories of pigs (such as

boars or pigs kept outdoors). If these

recom m endation s are follow ed, they w ill help to

protect the stocks w elfare. The C odesrecom m endations are not a com plete list and they

are not m eant to replace expert advice such as from

a veterinary surgeon .

3 The husbandry system that is used and the

num ber of pigs kept at any one tim e, should

depen d on:

the suitability of the farm environ m ent;

how m any anim als the farm canaccom m odate at one tim e;

the com petence of the stock-keeper; and

ho w lon g the stock-keep ers have to carryout their duties.

4 O rganic pig farm ing is cond ucted according to

addition al, legally enforced standards. H ow ever,

no thing in those standards affectsthe legal respon sibilities o f organic farm ers

regarding po sitive anim al w elfare. A ny m atters

w hich appear to conflict w ith organ ic standards,

should be discussed w ith you r organic certifying

bod y. In add ition , you should seek exp ert advice,

such as from a veterinary surgeon .

5 N o changes should be m ade to husbandry,

equipm ent or production until the possible effects

on anim al w elfare have been considered. In

particular, the po ssible effect on anim al w elfare

should be considered before installing m ore

com plex or elaborate equ ipm ent than has

previou sly been used. In g eneral, the greater therestriction im po sed on the anim al and the greater

the co m plexity of the overall system , the less the

anim al is able to u se its behaviour to m od ify the

effect of unfavourable cond ition s. System s invo lving

a high degree of con trol over the en viron m ent

should only be installed w here conscientiou s staff

skilled in b oth anim al husbandry and the use of the

equipm ent w ill alw ays be available.

6 The relevant anim al w elfare legislation applies to

ow ners as w ell as to anyone loo king after pigs on

their behalf, w herever the pigs areeither on the

farm or du ring transport. A w ritten contract can be

useful in m aking sure that everyone invo lved is clear

abou t his or her anim al w elfare respon sibilities.H ow ever, the obligations im posed by law w ill still

apply, w hether or not a contract exists. C ertain

aspects of livestock husbandry can present hazards

to the h ealth and safety of the stock-keeper. A dvice

on such m atters is available from the local

A gricultural Safety Inspector of the H ealth and

Safety Executive.

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IntroductionThe Protection of A nim als Acts 191 1 2000

contain the g eneral law relating to cruelty toanim als. Broadly it is an o ffence (un der Section 1 o f

the 1911 A ct) to b e cruel to any dom estic or

captive an im al by anything that is done or om itted

to be done.

Section 12 (2) of the 1 911 A ct em pow ers a police

constable to p lace, in safe custody, anim als in the

charge of persons apprehended for an o ffence

un der the A ct until the end of proceed ing s or the

court orders the return o f the anim als. The

reasonable costs involved, including any necessary

veterinary treatm ent, are recoverable by the p olice

from the ow ner upon conviction.

U nder Section 1 o f the Protection of Anim als(A m endm ent) A ct 1954, as am ended by the 198 8

A ct, the court has the po w er to disqualify a p erson

convicted under those A cts from having custody of

any anim al. The ban can specify a p articular kind of

anim al or all anim als for such period as the court

thinks fit.

The Protection of A nim als (A m end m ent) A ct 2000

supplem ents the 1 911 A ct by allow ing a court to

m ake an order relating to the care, disposal or

slaugh ter of anim als kept for com m ercial pu rposes

that are the subject of a prosecution brough t un der

the 19 11 A ct by a prosecutor. A prosecutorisdefined in the 20 00 A ct to include certain bo dies

that condu ct prosecution s (C row n ProsecutionService, G overnm ent departm ents and local

authorities) and any person or bodies app roved by

the D epartm ent for Environm ent, Food and Rural

A ffairs (D efra). The 2 000 A ct then allow s

reasonab le costs to b e recovered from the ow ner by

the prosecutor.

This Code applies in England only and has been issued

by the Secretary of State for Environm ent, Food and

Rural Affairs (follow ing its approval in draft by both

H ouses of Parliam ent). It replaces (also only in

England) the existing Code, w hich w as issued in 1983.

Sim ilar Codes are being produced in Scotland,

W ales and N orthern Ireland. U ntil these new C odesare issued, the existing C od e w ill con tinu e to app ly

in Scotland an d W ales. Separate arrangem ents exist

in N orthern Ireland.

THIS W ELFARE CO DE W AS ISSUED O N

11 M ARCH 2003.

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11 The h ealth and w elfare of anim als depends on

them being regularly inspected. Ad equate lightingm ust be available to enable thorough inspection of

the stock. All stock-keepers should be fam iliar w ith

the norm al beh aviour of pigs. Bad ly m anaged and

unhealthy pigs w ill not thrive, and it is essential that

the stock-keeper should w atch for sign s of distress,

disease or aggression tow ards an anim al by other

pigs in the group. To do this, it is im portant that

stock-keepers have enough tim e to:

(a) inspect the stock;

(b) check equipm ent; and

(c) take action to deal w ith any problem .

12 The stock-keeper should alw ays be looking outfor sign s of ill health in pigs, w hich include:

(a) separation from the group;

(b) listlessn ess;

(c) sw ollen navel, udder or joints;

(d) rapid or irregular breathing;

(e) persistent coughing or panting;

(f) shivering;

(g) discolouration or blistering of the skin;

(h) loss of body con dition ;

(i) sneezing;

(j) lam eness (inspection of the feet and legs is

particularly im portant);

(k) lack of co-ordination ;

(l) constipation;

(m ) diarrho ea;

(n) poor appetite; and

(o) vom iting.

13 You sho uld b e able to anticipate problem s orrecogn ise them in their earliest stages an d, in m any

cases, you should be able to identify the cause and

pu t m atters right im m ediately. A lw ays consider the

possibility that the pigs m ay be affected by a

notifiable disease (see p aragraphs 36 - 37). If thecause is not obviou s, or if your im m ediate action is

not effective, a veterinary surgeon or other expert

should be called in im m ediatelyfailure to do som ay cause unnecessary suffering.

Handling

The W elfare of Farm ed Anim als (England)

Reg ulations 2000 (S.I. 2000 N o. 187 0), Sched ule 1,

paragraph 30, states that:

N o person shall apply an electric current to any

anim als for the purposes of im m obilisation.

14 Pigs should b e m oved at their ow n p ace. Youshould encourage them gentlyespecially aroundcorners and w here it is slippery underfoo t. You

should avoid too m uch noise, excitem ent or force.

You m ust not put pressure on or strike at any

particularly sensitive part of the body. A nything you

use, such as pig b oards and flat slap sticks, to gu ide

the anim als should only be used for that purpose

and slap sticks m ust not have a sharp or pointed

end. The use of electric goads on adult pigs should

be avoided as far as possible. If go ads are used you

should alw ays ensure that there is sufficient space for

the p igs to m ove forw ard.

15 You sho uld m ake sure that all floo rs andw alkw ays are w ell m aintained and provide a non-slipsurface. The floor shou ld not slop e too steeply, as

steeper slopes can cause leg problem s.


(A m end m ent) Reg ulations 2003 (S.I. 2003 N o. 299),

Schedule 6, Part II, paragraphs 4 and 5 state that:

4. No person shall tether or cause to be tethered

any pig except w hile it is undergo ing any

exam ination, test, treatm ent or operation carried

out for any veterinary pu rpose.

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Section 1 Recommenda tions for a ll pigs

The W elfare of Farm ed A nim als (England) Regulations

2000 (S.I. 2000 N o. 1870) define a keeperas anyperson responsible for or in charge of anim als

w hether on a perm anent or tem porary basis.


Reg ulations 2000 (S.I. 2000 N o. 1870), Schedule 1,


A nim als shall be cared for by a sufficient num ber of

staff w ho po ssess the appropriate ability, know ledge

and professional com petence.

Genera l

7The stock-keeper has the m ost significant

influence on the w elfare of pigs. In general, the

larger the size of the unit the greater the degree of

skill and care needed to safeguard w elfare. The size

of a unit sho uld n ot be increased, no r sho uld a large

unit be set up , unless it is certain that the level of

stockm anship w ill be sufficiently high to safegu ard

the w elfare of each individu al pig.

8 The stock-keeper should d raw up a w ritten health

and w elfare plan w ith the herds veterinary surgeonand, w here n ecessary, other technical advisers. You

should review and update your health and w elfare

plan at least once a year. This plan should set out

health and husbandry activities that cover the cycle

of production and include strategies to prevent,treat or lim it existing disease problem s. The plan

should includ e enough records for you to assess the

basic output of the h erd an d m onitor the w elfare of

the pigs.

9 Those respon sible for m anaging the farm should

m ake sure that the pigs are cared for by enough w ell

m otivated and com petent staff. These staff need to

be aw are of the w elfare needs of pigs and be

capable of protecting them from all expected

problem s before they are given any responsibility.

This m eans that the staff need specific know ledge

and skills, w hich they sho uld develop on-farm by

w orking w ith a skilled stock-keeper w ho isexperienced in the relevant system . W herever

possible, staff should also attend relevant courses run

by a suitable training o rganisation. Ideally, the

training should lead to form al recognition of

com petence. Any contract or casual labour used on

the farm should be trained and com petent in the

relevant activity.

10 Stock-keepers should be know ledg eable and

com petent in a w ide range of anim al health and

w elfare skills, w hich should include:

hand ling skills (see paragraphs 1 4 17);

preventing and treating lam eness (see paragraphs

30 32);

preventing and treating internal and externalparasites (see paragraphs 33 34);

giving m edicines by injection (see paragraph 35);

providing appropriate care to sick and injured pigs(see paragraphs 38 - 44)

care of the sow and her litter (see paragraphs 93 99 ); and

m anagem ent of pigs to m inim ise aggression (seeparagraph 101).

If the stock-keeper is expected to perform specific

tasks on-farm (for exam ple, artificial insem ination or

teeth clipping/grind ing), then they should be trainedand com petent.

Inspection


(A m endm ent) Regu lations 2003 (S.I. 200 3 N o. 299)

Schedule 6, Part II, paragraph 2, requires that:

A ll pigs shall be inspected by the ow ner or keeper of

the pigs at least once a day to check that they are in

a state of w ell being .

6

Section 1 Recomme nda tions for all pigs

Stockm anship


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27 A program m e of pest control should be in place

for, for exam ple, rodents. Every effort should bem ade to m ake housing proof against birds, such as

starlings. Dom estic pets, feral cats and other w ild

anim als should be discouraged.

28 It is not possible to prevent all airborne infections

from entering a unit, but w hen plann ing new units

these should be sited as far as is practicable from

other pig units, as this w ill reduce the risk of spread

of airborne infectiou s diseases. You can find m ore

inform ation in the D efra pub lication Betterbiosecurity provides peace of m ind , healthy stock and

a m ore viable business(see the A pp endix).

Condition Scoring

29 Body condition scoring can contribu te g reatly to

good husbandry and help to avoid costly w elfare

problem s. Con dition scoring is an easy techniqu e to

learn. Basically, it m eans that you can quickly assess

the bo dy reserves (i.e. fat) of ind ividual anim als. The

technique w ill be of benefit if you use it as a rou tine

m anagem ent tool to check that sow s are in the

target body co ndition for the various stages of the

breeding cycle. This w ill be particularly useful at:

(a) m id-pregn ancy;

(b) farrow ing/early lactation ; and

(c) at w eaning/drying off.

You sho uld adjust feeding as necessary for anim als

that have becom e too fat or too thin. You w ill find

m ore inform ation in the D efra bookletC on ditionscoring of pigs(see the A ppendix).

Lameness

30 Lam eness in any anim al is usually a sign that they

are in pain. Lam eness in pigs is a sign of ill health

and discom fort. It clearly affects an anim als w elfare,as w ell as their perform ance and production . If a

significant percentage of your pigs have severe

lam eness, this is a sign of disease o r poor overallw elfare standards w ithin the herd. In these

circum stances, you should seek urgent veterinary

advice. You can find m ore inform ation in D efrasbo okletLam eness in pigs(see the A ppend ix).

31 If lam e pigs do not respon d to treatm ent, you

need to call a veterinary surgeon im m ediately.

Lam eness can have a num ber of causes and early

and accurate diagno sis of the specific type of

lam eness affecting the herd w ill enable you to take

rapid and appropriate action.

32 If a lam e anim al does not respon d to the

veterinary surgeo ns treatm ent, you should have it

culled rather than leave it to suffer. If you cannottranspo rt lam e anim als w ithout causing them m ore

pain, you should slaughter them on the farm (see

paragraphs 40 - 42). A lso, you m ust not transport

any pig off-farm that cannot stand up unaided or

cannot bear their w eight on all fou r legs w hen

standing or w alking .

External Parasites

33 You should control diseases caused by external

parasites especially w here the anim als skin isirritated and it is rubbing the area w ith theappropriate parasiticides. You should treat your

anim als for parasites in accordance w ith veterinaryadvice and ensure that control and treatm ent

regim es form part of your herd health and w elfare

plan.

Internal Parasites

34 You should control internal parasites by using

effective anthelm intics (drugs to treat parasites) or

vaccines. As part of your herd health and w elfare

plan, you should ensure that treatm ent is based on

the life cycle of the particular parasites you are

11

Section 1 Recommen da tions for all pigs

Genera l

21 M aintenance of good health is the m ost basic

requirem ent affecting the w elfare of the pig.

M easures to p rotect health include good h ygiene,

go od hu sbandry and effective ventilation .

Vaccinations m ay be ap propriate against certain

diseases. You should ensure that only authorised

veterinary m edicinal products, including vaccines, are

used. U seful inform ation on the health status of the

herd can be obtained from feedback at m eat

inspection in the abattoir.

22 The w ritten health and w elfare plan (see

paragraph 8) should also, as a m inim um , look at:

(a) biosecurity arrangem ents on -farm and duringtransport;

(b) purchased stock procedures;

(c) any specific disease co ntrol program m es, such as

salm onella, erysipelas, E. coli, m ycoplasm a and parvo

virus;

(d) vaccination policy and tim ing;

(e) isolation procedures;

(f) m ixing and grouping of pigs;

(g) external and internal parasite control;

(h) lam eness m onitoring and foot care;

(i) routine proced ures, such as ear tagging; and

(j) prevention and control of vices such as tail biting.

The health and w elfare plan should m ake sure that

anim als get any necessary m edical treatm ent at the

correct tim e an d in the correct dose.

Biosecurity

23 Biosecurity m eans reducing the risk of disease

occurring or spreading to other anim als. G ood

biosecurity can be obtained through:

good m anagem ent/husbandry;

good hygiene;

reducing stress in the h erd; and

effective disease control system s such asvaccination and w orm ing program m es.

Biosecu rity results in:

farm units being m ore secure from theintroduction of new infectiou s diseases; and

the spread of any diseases on the unit itself beingkept to a m inim um .

If you and your stock-keepers take proper

precautions w hen you m ove w ithin the farm or you

m ove anim als and equipm ent, you can greatlyredu ce the chance of spreading any disease.

24 Incom ing stock presents the greatest risk to the

health of the herd as regards infectiou s disease.

You should ask the ven dor to provide you w ith

inform ation on the health status of the herd an d

the herd's rou tine vaccination and other treatm ents

(e.g. w orm ing ) or disease prevention m easures. You

should have isolation facilities so that you can isolate

and ob serve/test inco m ing stock for a suitable p eriod

w hen they arrive, before they join the rest of the

herd.

25 O nly essential visitors should be allow ed on to the

un it and they should follow disinfection proced uresand w ear unit clothing and footw ear. A visitor book

should b e provided and visitors asked to sign to say

they have not been near other pigs or livestock for

an agreed period , as stipu lated in your herd health

and w elfare plan. A system should b e provided to

alert staff of visitors at the gate.

26 Loading facilities and, w here possible, feed bins

should be sited at the unit perim eter. Vehicles, w hich

visit other pig units, should be kept off the unit w herever

possible but w here entry is essential, w heels and

footw ear should be cleansed and disinfected thoroughly.

10


H ealth


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tackling. You should treat your anim als for parasites

in accordance w ith veterinary advice. Organicproducers, in particular, should seek veterinary advice

on this aspect of their herd health and w elfare plan.

Equipment for Vaccinat ionan d Treat ment

35 You m ust m ake sure that all the equipm ent you use

for vaccinating and treating the anim als is in good

w orking order. You should regularly clean and sterilise

any equipm ent you use for injections, to avoid infections

and abscesses and, ideally, use disposable needles. Any

dangerous objects should be disposed of safely.

Notifiable Diseases

36 If you suspect that any anim al is suffering from a

notifiable disease, you h ave a legal duty to n otify a

D ivisional Veterinary M anager (D VM ) of D efra as

soon as possible.

37 The follow ing are the m ain no tifiable diseases

w hich affect pigs (please note that this is not a

com plete list):

African sw ine fever

Anthrax

Aujeszkys disease

Classical swine fe ver

Foot-and-mouth disease

Rabies

Swine vesicular disease

Teschen disea se

Vesicular stom at itis

For m ore inform ation on these d iseases contact your

veterinary surgeon or local A nim al Health D ivisional

O ffice.

Sick an d Injured Anima ls



paragraph 5 states that:

any anim als w hich appear to be ill or injured -

- shall be cared for appropriately w ithout delay; and

- w here they do not respond to care, veterinary

advice shall be obtained as soon as po ssible.


(A m endm ent) Regu lations 2003 (S.I. 200 3 N o. 299)

Schedule 6, Part II, paragraph 3 states that: -

w here necessary, sick or injured pigs shall be

tem po rarily isolated in suitable accom m od ation w ithdry com fortable bedding.

38 You sho uld take action im m ediately if any pigs

are injured or appear ill or distressed. It is im portant

to exclude the possibility of notifiable diseases. If you

are in any dou bt about the cause of the ill health o r

the m ost effective treatm ent, consult your veterinary

surgeon w ithout delay. Likew ise, if an anim al you

have treated does not respon d to treatm ent, seek

your veterinary surgeons advice.

39 Your health and w elfare plan should specify a

procedure for isolating and caring for sick or injured

anim als. Hospital pens sho uld be available for each

category of pig o n the u nit. These pens should b eeasily reached so that you can regularly check on the

anim al. W hen m oving sick or injured pigs to the

ho spital pens, you should ensure that unn ecessary

suffering does not occur. In these h ospital pens, you

should m ake sure that drinking w ater is freely

available, and that there are feeding facilities.

Particular care is needed w here recum ben t anim als

are isolated to en sure that there is easy access to

w ater and feed and that the anim als are eating and

drinking .

40 If an unfit anim al does not respond to treatm ent,

it sho uld be hum anely killed on -farm (culled). Youshould cull any anim als suffering from painful and

incurable condition s im m ediately.

The W elfare of Anim als (Transport) O rder 19 97 (S.I.

19 97 N o. 1480), A rticles 4 (1) and 6 respectively,

provide that: -

- No person shall transport any anim al in a w ay

w hich causes or is likely to cau se injury or

un necessary suffering to that anim al.

- No person shall transport any anim al un less:

- it is fit for the intended journey; and

- suitable provision has been m ade for its care during

the jou rney and on arrival at the place of destination .

For these purposes an anim al shall not be considered

fit for its intended journey if it is ill, injured, infirm or

fatigued, unless it is only slightly ill, injured, infirm or

fatigu ed and the intended jou rney is not likely to

cause it unnecessary suffering, likely to give birth

during transport, has given birth during the previous

48 hours or is a new born anim al in w hich the navel

has not com pletely healed.

41 You can only transport an unfit anim al if you aretaking it to a veterinary surgeon for treatm ent or

diagnosis, or to the nearest available place of

slaughterand then , only provided they are not

likely to be subject to unnecessary suffering du ringthe jou rney by reason o f their unfitness. M ore

inform ation can be found in D efras booklet,

G uidance on the transport of casualty farm

anim als(see the A ppendix).

42 In an em ergency, you m ay have to slaughter an

anim al im m ediately to prevent its suffering. In such

cases, you sho uld destroy the anim al hum anely and,

w here possible, it should be done by som eone w ho

is suitably trained and com petent both in slaugh ter

m ethod s and use of the equipm ent. U nder these

em ergency circum stances a slaugh ter licence is not

required.

It is a gen eral offence under the W elfare of A nim als

(Slaugh ter or K illing) Regulations 19 95 (S.I. 199 5 N o.731) as am ended by the W elfare of Anim als

(Slaughter or Killing) (A m endm ent) Regulations 1999

(S.I. 1999 N o. 400), to cause or perm it any avoidable

excitem ent, pain o r suffering to any anim al du ring

slaughter or killing (regulation 4 (1)).

The general offence applies in all cases, but the

detailed provisions in respect of the m ethod of

slaug hter or killing do not apply w hen an anim al has

to be killed im m ediately for em ergency reasons

(regulation 13 (2)).

43 If you have to slaugh ter the anim als on-farm in a

non-em ergen cy situation, you m ust do so using a

perm itted m ethod that is in line w ith current w elfareat slaughter legislation (see box below ).

The W elfare of Anim als (Slaugh ter or Killing )

Reg ulations 1995 (S.I. 1995 N o. 731) as am end ed

by the W elfare of Anim als (Slaugh ter or Killing )

(A m endm ent) Regulations 1999 (S.I. 199 9 N o. 400)

state that w hen an anim al is slaughtered or killed

on-farm , this m ust be do ne using a perm itted

m ethod. The anim al could be:

- stunn ed using a captive bolt pistol, concussion

stunn er or electrical stun ner after w hich it m ust be

follow ed by bleeding - or pithed - w ithout delay

(regulation 14 and Schedules 5 (Part II) and 6). If the

anim al is stunned and bled, the operation m ust be

carried ou t by a slaugh term an licensed for these

op erations (Schedule 1), un less the ow ner is

slaug htering an anim al for his ow n consum ption; or

- killed by a free b ullet (regulation 15 and Schedule

5 Part III); the anim al should be killed w ith a sing le

shot to the head.

44 A fter slaughter, you m ust dispose of the carcass

by a suitable m ethod (see box below ):

13


12



10/20


(Am end m ent) Reg ulations 2003 (S.I. 2003 N o. 299),Schedule 6, Part II, paragraphs 6 and 7 state that:

6. (1) A pig shall be free to turn round w ithout

difficulty at all tim es.

(2) The accom m odation used for pigs shall be

constructed in such a w ay as to allow each

pig to

(a) stand up, lie dow n and rest w ithout

difficulty;

(b) have a clean, com fortable and adequately

drained place in w hich it can rest;

(c) see other pigs, unless the pig is isolated for

veterinary reasons;

(d) m aintain a com fortable tem perature; and

(e) have enough space to allow all the anim als

to lie dow n at the sam e tim e.

7 (1) The dim ension of any stall or pen u sed for

ho lding ind ividu al pigs in accordance w ith these

regulation s shall be such that the internal area is

no t less than the square of the length of the pig,

and no internal side is less than 75% of the

length of the pig, the length o f the pig in each

case being m easured from the tip of its snout to

the base of its tail w hile it is standing w ith its

back straigh t.

(2) Paragraph 7 (1) shall not apply to a fem ale

pig for the p eriod betw een seven days beforethe p redicted d ay of farrow ing and the day on

w hich the w eaning of her piglets (including any

fostered by her) is com plete.

Genera l

47 You should seek appropriate w elfare advice

w hen new buildings are to be constructed or existing

bu ildings m od ified. Som e specialised bu ildings use

com plex m echan ical and electrical equ ipm ent w hich

require additional technical and m anagem ent skills

and m ay require training to ensure that husbandry

and w elfare requirem ents are m et.



paragraphs 11 and 12 state that:

- m aterials used for the construction of

accom m od ation , and, in particular for the

construction of pens, cages, stalls and equipm ent

w ith w hich anim als m ay com e into contact, shall

not be harm ful to them and shall be capable of

being tho rough ly cleaned and d isinfected.

- accom m odation and fittings for securing anim als

shall be co nstructed and m aintained so that there

are no sharp edges or protrusion s likely to cause

injury to them .

48 The internal surfaces of housing and pens should

be m ade of m aterials that you can easily clean and

disinfect regularly, and easily replace w hen necessary.

49 If you are going to treat these surfaces, use

paints or w oo d preservatives that are safe to use

w ith anim als. There is a risk of lead poisoning from

old paintw ork, especially if you u se second-hand

building m aterials.

Floors

The W elfare of Farm ed Anim als (England)(A m end m ent) Regulations 2003 (S.I. 2003 N o. 299),


12. W here pigs are kept in a bu ilding, floors shall

(a) be sm oo th but no t slipp ery so as to prevent

injury to the pigs;

(b) be so designed, constructed an d m aintained

as not to cause injury or suffering to pigs

stand ing or lying on them ;

15

A ccom m odation


A rticle 5 of the A nim al By-Products O rder 199 9 (S.I.

19 99 N o. 646) requires that fallen stock are disposedof by:

- despatch to a knackers yard, hu nt kennel or sim ilar

prem ises;

- incineration;

- rendering ;

- in certain circum stances, burial in such a w ay that

carnivorous anim als cannot gain access to the

carcass, or burning .

This provision applies to the disposal of stillborn

piglets and foetuses, as w ell as to older pigs.

The D ogs Acts 1906 - 28 include provisions m aking itan offence for a person know ingly to perm it a

carcass to rem ain u nburied in a place to w hich dogs

cou ld gain access.

A t present, burial or burning is only perm itted in very

lim ited circum stances. If you plan to bury the carcass

on -farm , you should first check that the local

authority allow s this under the A nim als By-Products

O rder 1999. H ow ever, from 30 A pril 200 3, new EU

legislation, the A nim al By-Produ cts Regulation , w ill

ban the routine burial and burning of anim al

carcases.

Record Keeping




A record shall be m aintained of

(a) any m edicinal treatm ent given to anim als; and

(b) the num ber of m ortalities found on each

inspection of anim als carried ou t in accordance w ith

any of the follow ing provisions.

Schedule 1, paragraph 8 states that:

- The record referred to in paragraph 7 shall be

retained for a period of at least three years from the

date on w hich the m edicinal treatm ent w as given,

or the date of the inspection, as the case m ay be,

and shall be m ade available to an authorised person

w hen carrying out an inspection or w hen otherw ise

requ ested by such person.

45 O nly authorised veterinary m edicinal products

should be used. You m ust keep full records of all

m edicines used, including w here it w as bought. You

m ust also keep records for at least three years of:

the date you treated the anim als;

the identity and quantity of m edicine used; and

w hich anim al or group of anim als you treated.

It is a requirem ent under the A nim als and Anim al

Products (Exam ination for Residues and M axim um

Residue Lim its) Regulations 1997 (S.I. 1997 No. 1729),

Part V, paragraph 32, that you keep a record of:

The nam e and ad dress of the sup plier of the

veterinary m edicinal product.

You w ill find m ore inform ation in the C ode of

Practice on responsible use of anim al m edicines on

the farm (see the Append ix).

46 In term s of individual anim al m anagem ent, you

m ay find it useful, as part of the health and w elfareplan, to no te specific cases of m astitis, lam eness and

other disorders, and w here appropriate, the relevant

treatm ent g iven.

14



11/20 17


(c) be suitable for the size and w eigh t of the

pigs; and

(d) w here no litter is provided, form a rigid,

even and stable surface.

13 . W hen concrete slatted floo rs are used for pigs

kept in group s, the m axim um w idth of the

openings m ust be:

(a) 11 m m for piglets;

(b) 14 m m for w eaners;

(c) 18 m m for rearing pigs;

(d) 20 m m for gilts after service and sow s.

The m inim um slat w idth m ust be:

(e) 50 m m for piglets and w eaners;

(f) 80 m m for rearing pigs, gilts after service

and sow s.

50 G ood floor design and adequate m aintenance is

essential. Poorly constructed floors, slats that are not

properly m atched to the w eight/size of pig and

surfaces that are w orn and /or dam aged, can cause

injury to the feet and legs of pigs. Excessive gaps

should be avo ided as they can trap the feet/claw s

and m ay cause physical dam age. D am aged floors

m ust be repaired im m ediately.


(Am end m ent) Reg ulations 2003 (S.I. 2003 N o. 299),

Schedule 6, Part II, paragraph 11 requires:W here bedding is provided , this m ust be clean, dry

and not harm ful to the pigs.

51 The lying area should alw ays be kept dry and

pen floors, includ ing the dun ging area, should be

drained effectively. W here bedd ing is provided,

this m ust be clean and dry, regularly topped up

or changed, and not detrim ental to the health of

the pigs.

Vent ila tion a nd Tempe rat ure



paragraph 1 3 states that:

- air circulation, dust levels, tem perature, relative

hu m idity and gas concentration s shall be kep t w ithin

lim its w hich are not harm ful to the anim als.


(A m end m ent) Regulations 2003 (S.I. 2003 N o. 299),

Schedule 6, Part II, paragraph 17 states that:

Pigs shall not be kept in an environm ent w hich

involves m aintaining high tem peratures and high

hum idity (know n as the sw eat-box system ).

52 A ll new buildings should be designed w ith the

anim alscom fort in m ind, and w ith the aim ofpreventing respiratory diseases. The buildings should

provide eno ugh ventilation through out the year for

the type, size and num ber of stock to be housed in

them . In addition to m eeting the ventilation

requ irem ents, the system should be designed to

avoid draughts affecting the pigsliving space.

53 Effective ven tilation is essen tial to the w ell-being

of the stock as it provides fresh air, rem oves noxious

gases and aids in controlling tem perature. Excessive

heat loss should be prevented either by the structural

insulation of the external w alls, roof and the floor in

the lying area, or by the provision of adequatebedd ing . H eat gain to building s in ho t cond itions w ill

be m inim ised by the insulation in the w alls and roo f.

54 Pigs have a very lim ited ability to sw eat and are

acutely susceptible to h eat stress. Possible cooling

m ethods, including blow ing air over the pigs in a

part of the pen, providing w ater spray/m isting

system s or sim ply w etting part of the floor w ith a

ho sepipe, can be used to ensure that pigs in

buildings do not becom e overheated in hot w eather.

There should alw ays be som e dry lying area available

as a m atter of choice so that the pigs can m ove

aw ay from the cooler conditions.16


55 Livew eight, group size, floo r type, air speed and

feed intake m arkedly affect tem peraturerequ irem ents and you m ust take these factors into

account w hen determ ining the m inim um

tem perature appropriate in each case. Slatted floo rs

and low feed levels generally increase tem perature

requirem ents w hilst straw bedd ing , high feed levels

and higher body w eights decrease requ irem ents. For

m ost circum stances, an appropriate m inim um

tem perature can be found w ithin the rang e given

below :

Catego ry of Pig Temperature

( C) ( F)

Sow s 15 - 20 59 - 68

Suckling pig s in creeps 25 - 30 77 84

Weaned pigs (3 4 w eeks) 27 - 32 81 90

La t e r w e a n ed p ig s (5 w e eks + ) 2 2 - 2 7 71 80

Finishing pig s (po rkers) 15 - 21 59 70

Finishing p ig s (b aco ne rs) 13 - 18 55 64

56 You should avoid w ide or abrupt fluctuation s in

tem perature in housing system s w ithin any 24-hour

period. W ide fluctuations in the daily tem perature

regim e can create stress that m ay trigg er outbreaks

of vice, such as tail biting , or disease such as

pneum onia. You should m aintain a higher than

norm al level of vigilance at these tim es.

57 W hen pigs are m oved to new accom m odation,

the possibility of cold stress occurring as a result of

sudden chang es in the therm al environm ent should

be reduced. This can be done by ensuring that the

pen is dry, by the provision of bedding , such asstraw, or by preheating the building.

58 W hen you are rem oving slurry from under slats,

you m ust take special care to avoid fouling the air

w ith dangerous gases (such as am m onia), w hich can

kill bo th hum ans and anim als. Bu ilding s sho uld either

be em pty or very w ell ventilated d uring this

procedure.

Light ing a nd Noise Levels

The W elfare of Farm ed A nim als (England) Regulations

2000 (S.I. 2000 No. 1870), Schedule 1, paragraphs 3

and 16 state that:

3. W here anim als are kept in a building, adeq uate

lighting (w hether fixed or portable) shall be

available to enable them to be thoroughly

inspected at any tim e.

16.An im als kept in b uildings shall not be kept

w ithout an appropriate period of rest from

artificial lighting.


(A m endm ent) Regulations 2003 (S.I. 2003 No. 299),


8. W here pigs are kept in an artificially lit building

then ligh ting w ith an intensity of at least 40 lux

shall be p rovided for a m inim um period of 8 hours

per day subject to paragraph 16 of Schedu le 1 to

these regulations [see box above].

18.Pigs shall not be exposed to constant or sudden

noise. Noise levels above 85 d BA shall be avoided

in that part of any building w here pigs are kep t.

59 You should have enough fixed or portable

ligh ting available at any tim e if you need to inspect

any anim als, for exam ple, during farrow ing.

60 The siting of m achinery such as feed m illing units

should be appropriate to m inim ise the noise im pact


12/20


Regulation s 2000 (S.I. 20 00 N o. 1870), Schedule 1,paragraphs 22 - 24 an d 2 6 state that:

22.A nim als shall be fed a w holesom e diet w hich

is appropriate to their age and species and

w hich is fed to them in sufficient quantity to

m aintain them in g ood h ealth and to satisfy

their nutritional needs and to prom ote a positive

state of w ell-being .

23 .N o an im als shall be p rovided w ith food or

liqu id in a m anner, nor shall such food or liquid

contain any substance, w hich m ay cause them

un necessary suffering or injury.

24.All anim als shall have access to feed at

intervals appropriate to their physiological needs

(and, in any case, at least once a day), exceptw here a veterinary surgeon acting in the exercise

of h is profession otherw ise d irects.

26.Feeding and w atering equ ipm ent shall be

designed, constructed, placed and m aintained

so that contam ination of food an d w ater and

the h arm ful effects of com petition betw een

anim als are m inim ised.


(A m end m ent) Reg ulations 2003 (S.I. 2003 N o. 299)

Schedule 6, Part II, paragraph 1 4 states that:

14.(1) All pigs m ust be fed at least once a day.

(2) W here pigs are housed in a group and do not

have continuous access to feed, or are no t fed by

an autom atic feeding system feeding the anim als

individually, each pig m ust have access to the

food at the sam e tim e as the others in the

feeding group.

67 A ll pigs need a balanced daily diet to m aintain

full health and vigour. You shou ld p lan any chan ges

in the diet and introd uce them gradually.

68 W hen introducing p igs to un accustom ed

ho using , you shou ld m ake sure that the anim als are

able to find the feed an d w ater points. W hen new ly

w eaned piglets are m oved to pens w here w ater is

provided through nipple drinkers unfam iliar to the

piglets, it is good practice to p rovide alternativew ater sou rces for the first few days.

69 W here pigs are fed on a rationed feed level to

control intake, you should ensure that adequate

trou gh space is provided to ensure that all pigs can

receive their allocation. The follow ing guidelines for

trough space per pig ap ply:

WEIGHTOF PIG (KG) TROUGH SPACE (CMS)

5 10

10 13

15 15

35 20

60 23

90 28

120 30

70 G oo d hygiene is necessary for storage and

feed ing system s as m ou lds can develop in stale

feed w hich can have a detrim ental effect on pigs.

Feed bins sho uld b e cleaned ou t regularly.

The W elfare of Farm ed A nim als (Eng land)

(A m endm ent) Regulations 2003 (S.I. 2003 N o. 299),


A ll pigs over tw o w eeks of age m ust have

perm anent access to a sufficient quantity of fresh

drinking w ater.

19

Feed, w ater and other substances


on housed stock. A ny bell or buzzer w hich is likely to

occur erratically, for exam ple, a visitor to the site,should be sufficiently loud to attract hum an attention

but w ithout causing undue alarm to the stock.

Automa ted a nd Mechanica lEquipment



paragraphs 18 - 21, state that:

18.A ll autom ated or m echanical equipm ent

essential for the health and w ell being of the

anim als shall be inspected at least once a day to

check there is no defect in it.

19.W here defects in autom ated or m echanical

equipm ent of the type referred to in the

paragraph above are discovered, these shall be

rectified im m ediately, or if this is im possible,

appropriate steps shall be taken to safeguard the

health and w ell-being of the anim als pending the

rectification of such defects including the use of

alternative m ethods of feeding and w atering and

m ethods of providing and m aintaining a

satisfactory environ m ent.

20.W here the health and w ell-being of the anim als

is dependent on an artificial ventilation system

(a) provision shall be m ade for an appropriate

back-up system to guarantee sufficient airrenew al to preserve the health and w ell-being

of the anim als in the event of failure of the

system ; and

(b) an alarm system (w hich w ill op erate even if

the principal electricity supply to it has failed)

shall be provided to give w arning of any failure

of the system .

21.The back-up system shall be thoroughly

inspected an d the alarm system shall each be

tested at least once every seven days in order to

check that there is no defect in the system and,

if any defect is found (w hether w hen the system

is inspected or tested in accordance w ith thisparagraph or at any other tim e) it shall be rectified

im m ediately.

61 A ll m ains electrical equipm ent should m eet

relevant standards and be properly earthed,

safegu arded from rodents and out of the pigsreach.

62 A ll equipm ent, includ ing feed hop pers, drinkers,

ventilation equipm ent, heating and lighting units, fire

exting uishers and alarm system s, should be cleaned

and inspected regularly and kept in g ood w orking

order.

63 A ll autom atic equ ipm ent used in intensive

system s should be thoroughly inspected by the stock-keeper, or other com petent person , no t less than

once each day to check that there are no defects.

A ny defect m ust be rectified im m ediately.

Fire and Other EmergencyPrecautions

64 There shou ld be plans in place to deal w ith

em ergencies at your farm , such as fire, flood or

disruption of supplies. The ow ner should m ake sure

that all the staff are fam iliar w ith the appropriate

em ergency action . You w ill find m ore inform ation in

the D efra booklets,Em ergencies on livestock farm sand Farm fires: advice on farm anim al w elfare(seethe A ppend ix).

65 It is im portant that you get advice about design

w hen you are building or m odifying a building. You

need to be able to release and evacuate livestock

qu ickly if there is an em ergency. You shou ld co nsider

installing fire alarm s that can b e heard and

respon ded to at any tim e of day or night.

66 You can get expert advice on all fire precautions

from fire prevention officers at your local fire brigade

and from the Fire Prevention A ssociation.

18



13/20


Regulation s 2000 (S.I. 20 00 N o. 1870), Schedule 1,paragraph 2 7 states that:

N o other substance, w ith the exception of tho se

given for therapeutic or prophylactic purposes or

for the purpose of zoo technical treatm ent shall be

adm inistered to anim als unless it has been

dem onstrated b y scientific studies of anim al w elfare

or established experience that the effect of that

substance is no t detrim ental to the health or

w elfare of the anim als.

21


20


71 There are several factors you should take into

consideration w hen loo king at the provision ofw ater to pigs:

the total volum e available;

the flow rate (pigs w ill not spen d a lon g tim etaking w ater);

the m ethod of provision e.g. the type of drinker;

and

its accessibility to all stock.

72 The follow ing is a guide to m inim um daily

w ater requirem ents for various w eights of pig:

Weig ht of Da ily Minimum f lowpig (kg ) req uirement ra te thro ug h

(litres) nipple drinkers

(litre s/min)

New ly wea ned 1.0 1.5 0.3

Up to 20 kg s 1.5 2.0 0.5 1.0

20 kgs 40 kg s 2.0 5.0 1.0 1.5

Finishing pig s 5.0 6.0 1.0 1.5

up to 100 kgs

Sows and gilts 5.0 8.0 2.0

pre-service and

in-pig

Sow s a nd g ilt s - 15 30 2.0

in lactation

Boa rs 5.0 8.0 2.0

73 W aste w ater and excessive flow rates can be

detrim ental, particularly for sow s in farrow ingaccom m odation and very young pigs.

74 You should carefully consider the height at which

w ater nipples and bow ls are placed. A ll pigs m ust be

able to access the drinking point. This m igh t require

height-adjustable, or several different, drinkers at

various heights w hen group s of pigs of a range o f

w eights are housed together or w hen pigs are

housed in a pen for a long period.

75 W here n ipple d rinkers are u sed, a drinking

po int should be available for each ten pigs on

ration ed feed ing . O n unrestricted feeding , on e

nipp le drinker should provide adequate sup ply for

15 pigs given sufficient flow rates. W here troug hsystem s are used, the follow ing gu idelines sho uld

be applied:

WEIGHTOF PIG TROUG H SPACE

(KG) PER HEAD (CM)

Up to 15 0.8

15 - 35 1.0

76 If you use a w et feeding system , pigs m ust haveaccess to a separate fresh w ater supply.

77 Feed and w ater should not be com pletely

w ithdraw n from sow s w hich are being dried off.


14/20

Ta il Do cking



Schedule 6, Part II, paragraphs 21 and 23 (1) state

that:

21.The follow ing proced ure shall no t be carried

ou t rou tinely but only w here there is evidence

that injuries to sow steats or to other pigsears or tails have occurred:

- docking of a part of the tail;

bu t no tail do cking m ay be carried ou t un less

other m easures to im prove environm ental

conditions o r m anagem ent system s have

been taken in o rder to p revent tail biting or

other vices.

23.(1) If docking of tails is carried out after the

seven th day of life it shall only be perform ed

un der anaesthetic and addition al prolon ged

analgesia by a veterinary surgeo n.

83 Tail biting and other vices, such as ear and flank

biting , are associated w ith som e form of stress. They

can be triggered b y a w ide range or com bination of

factors, including : overstocking, feed deficiencies,

incorrect tem perature levels, fluctuating tem perature

levels, inadequate ventilation, draughts, high levels of

dust and noxious gases (i.e. am m onia) and lack of

environm ental enrichm ent. Som etim es chan ges in

external w eather conditions can also trigger anoutbreak.

84 If tail biting d oes occur, it can spread quickly

through the pen and the degree o f injury increases

very quickly. You should ensure that affected pigs are

rem oved to a hospital pen and treated w ithout delay.

If po ssible, you should try to identify the instigator

and rem ove the anim al to a separate pen .

85 Routine tail docking is not perm itted. Tail

do cking should on ly be used as a last resort, afterim provem ents to the pigsenvironm ent andm anagem ent have proved ineffectual. W here it is

necessary to tail do ck, it m ust be carried out in

accordance w ith the law by a com petent, trained

op erator before the seventh day of life, or by a

veterinary surgeo n. All equ ipm ent used m ust be

cleaned and disinfected betw een pigs.

86 A s part of your herd health and w elfare plan (see

paragraphs 8 and 22), you should have a strategy for

dealing w ith outbreaks of vice such as tail biting.

A lthough m uch h as been learnt from research and

practical on-farm experience, it is not possible to

produce a definitive solution suitable for all cases. A

thorough assessm ent and planned approach istherefore recom m ended to identify the particular

cause of an outbreak on the unit and to find the

appropriate solution to the p roblem .

Q uan tify the problem

- note the position of pens and num bers of pigs

affected, check records of previous incidents.

List possible causes

- such as interrup tion or inadequ ate supply of feed

or w ater, lack of environm ental enrichm ent,

inadequ ate ventilation , draughts, incorrect

tem perature levels, overstocking , com petition at

feed ing, excessive light levels, elevated

du st/noxiou s gas levels. D ifferent causes m ay befound in different pens on the sam e unit.

M odify health and w elfare plan

- having identified areas for im provem ent, in

con sultation w ith the herds veterinary surgeonand other technical advisers, m odify your health

and w elfare plan to im plem ent the necessary

chan ges w ith a view to preventing future

outbreaks of tail biting.

23


Genera l




A nim als not kept in b uilding s shall, w here necessary

and possible, be given protection from adverse

w eather condition s, predators and risks to their

health an d shall, at all tim es, have access to a w ell-

drained lying area.




10.(1) Housing, pen s, equ ipm ent and utensils

used for pigs m ust be p roperly cleaned anddisinfected as necessary to preven t cross-

infection and the bu ild-up of disease-carrying

organism s.

(2) Faeces, urine and uneaten or spilt food m ust

be rem oved as often as necessary to m inim ise

sm ell and avoid attracting flies or rodents.

78 You should keep all buildings, fields and

paddocks clear of debris, such as w ire, plastic and

sharp objects, that could injure the pigs or rip ou t

their ear tags and dam age their ears.

79 You shou ld take all practical m easures to

rem ove all pigs from areas that are in im m inent

dang er of floo ding .

Environmental Enrichment




To enable proper investigation and m anipu lation

activities, all pigs m ust have perm anent access to a

sufficient quantity of m aterial such as straw , hay,

w ood, saw dust, m ushroom com post, peat or a

m ixture of such w hich does not adversely affect thehealth of the anim als.

80 Environm ental enrichm ent provides pigs w ith the

op portun ity to root, investigate, chew and play.

Straw is an excellent m aterial for environ m ental

enrichm ent as it can satisfy m any of the pigsbehavioural and physical needs. It provides a fibrous

m aterial w hich the pig can eat; the pig is able to root

in and play w ith long straw ; and , w hen used as

bedd ing , straw can p rovide the p ig w ith physical and

therm al com fort.

81 O bjects such as footballs and chains can satisfy

som e of the p igsbehaviou ral needs, bu t can quickly

lose their novelty factor. The long-term use o f suchitem s is not, therefore, recom m ended unless they are

used in conjun ction w ith m aterials such as tho se

listed above, or are changed on a w eekly basis.

Castration



Schedule 6, Part II, paragraphs 22 and 23 (2) state

that:

22.M ale pigs m ay be castrated provided the m eans

em ployed do not invo lve tearing of tissues.

23.(2) If castration is carried out after the seventhday of life it shall only be perform ed by a

veterinary surgeon in accordance w ith the

provisions of the Protection of A nim als

(A naesthetics) A ct 19 54 .

82 Stock-keep ers should consider carefully w hether

castration is necessary. Castration is a m utilation and

should b e avoided w herever possible. If it cannot be

avoided, it m ust be carried ou t in accordance w ith

the law by a trained and com petent operator or a

veterinary surgeon.

22


M anagem ent


15/20

91 Sow s sho uld b e left un disturbed , to allow

uterine contractions, for up to thirty m inutes afterartificial insem ination (and natural service), but they

should then rejoin their group in order to m inim ise

bullying w ithin the grou p hierarchy. W hen dou ble

insem ination is used, sow s m ay be penned separately

un til 30 m inu tes after the second insem ination, but

pens m ust allow the anim al to turn round easily.

The V eterinary Surgeon s Act 1966, as am ended by

the Veterinary Surgeons A ct 1966 (Sched ule 3

A m endm ent) O rder 1988 (S.I. 1988 N o. 526)

prohibits the perform ance of a vasectom y or the

carrying out of electro-ejaculation by anyone o ther

than a veterinary surgeon.

92 Sem en collection and artificial insem inationshould only be carried out by a trained , com petent

and experienced operator. Vasectom y or electro-

ejaculation m ay only be carried ou t by a veterinary

surgeon.

25


Tee t h Clipping /Grin din g




The follow ing proced ure shall not be carried ou t

rou tinely bu t only w here there is evidence that

injuries to sow steats or to other pigsears or tailshave occurred:

- uniform reduction of corner teeth of piglets by

grinding or clipping not later than the seventh day of

life of the piglets leaving an intact sm ooth surface;

but no tooth reduction m ay be carried out unless

other m easures to im prove environm ental conditions

or m anagem ent system s have been taken in order

to prevent tail biting or other vices.

87 Routine clipping or grinding of teeth is not

perm itted. Tooth reduction to the upper and low er

corner teeth (eyeor canine teeth) of piglets shouldon ly be used as a last resort. Your health and w elfare

plan should identify circum stances w here tooth

redu ction m ay be necessary. These m ight include

large litter size, cross fostering, gilts and poor m ilk let

do w n such as m astitis.

88 W here tooth reduction is to be carried out, it

m ay not alw ays be n ecessary for the w hole litter.

W here it is necessary, it should be carried out before

the seventh d ay of life, in accordance w ith the law ,

by a trained and com petent operator or by a

veterinary surgeon. Suitable sharp, clean clippers or

an appropriate grinder should be used. All

equ ipm ent used should be cleaned and disinfected

betw een pigs. Teeth grinders are recom m ended as

there is a reduced risk of shattering the teeth.

Natu ral Service




28 .(1) Subject to sub -paragraph (2), natural or

artificial breeding or breeding proced ures w hichcause, or are likely to cause, suffering o r injury

to any of the anim als concerned shall not be

practised.

(2) Sub -paragraph (1) shall no t preclude the use

of natural or artificial breeding p rocedures that

are likely to cau se m inim al or m om entary

suffering or injury or that m igh t necessitate

intervention s which w ould not cause lasting injury.

89 A ll boars should have goo d and safe service

conditions. Slatted floors and slippery condition s

un derfoot are not suitable for m ating anim als. A s

part of your health and w elfare plan, you should

discuss w ith the herds veterinary surgeon how toavoid injury to boars and sow s through excessive

m ating activity.

Artificia l Insemina tion , Va secto my

and Electro-ejaculation



Schedule 6, Part II, paragraph 7 (3) lists certain

exem ptions from the requirem ent that a pig shall be

free to turn round w ithout difficulty at all tim es,

includ ing:

- for the pu rpose o f service, artificial insem ination or

collection of sem en;

provided that the period during w hich it is so kept is

no t lon ger than necessary for that purpose.

90 You sho uld keep the sow s in their groups un til

insem ination, at w hich tim e they can be m oved to an

appropriate stall or pen and insem inated. Sow s

should be allow ed tim e to settle dow n in the stall or

pen , and then exposed to a boar in order to

encourage the standing reflex before artificial

insem ination takes place.

24



16/2026

Section 2 Specif ic recomme nda tions

Farrow ing sow s and piglets98 Problem s associated w ith w eaning are related

to the age at w eaning. The earlier the w eaning agethe better m ust be the system of m anagem ent and

nutrition if w elfare prob lem s are to be avo ided.

Piglets should n ot be w eaned from the sow at less

than 28 days, althoug h orph aned, sick and surplus

piglets requiring special attention are obvious

exception s. The all-in-all-out system of m anaging

pig hou sing m axim ises opportun ities to prevent

disease introd uction or spread on a unit. W here

these conditions are m et, w eaning m ay occur up to

seven days earlier. A t w ean ing, piglets shou ld b e

m oved into a specialised ho use w hich has

previou sly been com pletely em ptied of pigs, cleaned

and disinfected.

99 It is particularly im portant that you w atchpiglets carefully for signs of diarrhoea or respiratory

disease, such as cough ing or rapid or laboured

breathing , bo th of w hich can spread rapidly. If the

piglets do no t respond to treatm ent prom ptly or

properly, you shou ld seek advice from your

veterinary surgeon .

27



(Am end m ent) Reg ulations 2003 (S.I. 2003 N o. 299),Schedule 6, Part IV, paragraphs 30 to 35 state:

30 .Pregnant gilts and sow s shall, w here

necessary, be treated against external and

internal parasites.

31.If they are placed in farrow ing crates, pregnant

sow s and gilts shall be tho rou ghly cleaned.

32.In the w eek b efore the expected farrow ing tim e

sow s and gilts m ust be g iven suitable nesting

m aterial in sufficient quantity unless it is not

technically feasible for the slurry system used.

33 .D uring farrow ing , an unobstructed area behind

the sow or gilt shall be available for the ease of

natural or assisted farrow ing .

34.Farrow ing pens w here sow s are kept loose m ust

have som e m eans of protecting the piglets, such

as farrow ing rails.

35.In the w eek before the expected farrow ing tim e

and during farrow ing, sow s and gilts m ay be

kep t ou t of the sight of other pigs.

93 You should m anage the feeding of sow s and

gilts so that they are in a suitable bod y cond ition at

the tim e of farrow ing . A target score of 3.5 - 4

should be aim ed at just prior to farrow ing. You

should then gear the feeding regim e to m inim ising

any loss in bo dy condition during lactation.

94 N esting m aterial shou ld be provided, w henever

possible, particularly in the 24 hours prior to

farrow ing to satisfy the sow s need to nest-buildand therefore m inim ise stress.

95 The environm ental requ irem ents of the sow and

litter are considerably different. In an environm entally

controlled farrow ing house a heated creep area - up

to 32C should be provided for the piglets. Thiscan be by artificial heating, for exam ple, overhead

infra-red lam ps, a heat pad, un derfloo r heating or

alternatively by providing a w ell-bed ded lying area.

The sow , how ever, has different environm ental

requirem ents. The tem perature in the farrow ing

room as a w hole should be around 18C - 20C .H igh tem peratures for the sow can im pair feed

intake and her m ilking ability.

96 W here overhead lam ps/heaters are used they

should be securely fixed and should be protected

from interference b y the sow or piglets.

97 Farrow ing accom m odation should be so

constructed and sufficiently big enoug h to allow the

sow to rise up and lie dow n again w ithout difficulty.

You should b e experienced and com petent in the

techniques of farrow ing and should pay particular

attention to hygiene, especially at assisted

farrow ings. M echanical farrow ing aids should only be

used by a trained , com petent operator.



Schedule 6, Part V, paragraphs 43 to 47 state:

43.If necessary, piglets shall be provided w ith a

source of heat and a solid, dry and com fortable

lying area aw ay from the sow w here all of them

can rest at the sam e tim e.

44.A part of the total floor w here the piglets are and

w hich is large enough to allow the anim als to rest

together at the sam e tim e, m ust be solid or

covered w ith a m at or be littered w ith straw or

any other suitable m aterial.

45.W here a farrow ing crate is used the piglets m usthave sufficient space to b e able to be suckled

w ithout difficulty.

46.Piglets shall not be w eaned from the sow at an

age of less than 28 d ays unless the w elfare or

health o f the dam or piglets w ould otherwise be

adversely affected.

47.Piglets m ay be w eaned up to seven days earlier

if they are m oved into specialised housings w hich

are em ptied an d thoroughly cleaned and

disinfected before the introduction of a new

group and w hich are separate from housing

w here other sow s are kept.


17/20


(Am end m ent) Reg ulations 2003 (S.I. 2003 N o. 299),Schedule 6, Part IV, paragraphs 36 to 42 state:

36 .Sow s and gilts shall be kept in groups except

during the period betw een seven days before

the p redicted d ay of farrow ing and the day on

w hich the w eaning of piglets (includ ing any

piglets fostered) is com plete.

37.The pen w here the group is kept m ust have

sides greater than 2.8 m in leng th, except w here

there are less than 6 individuals in the group,

w hen the sides of the p en m ust be n o less than

2.4 m in leng th.

38.The total unob structed floor area available to each

gilt after service and to each sow w hen gilts

and/or sow s are kept in groups m ust be at least1.64 m 2 and 2.25 m 2 respectively. W hen these

anim als are kept in groups of less than 6 individuals

the unobstructed floor area m ust be increased by

10% . W hen these anim als are kept in groups of

40 or m ore individuals the unobstructed floor area

m ay be decreased by 10% .

39 .For gilts after service an d pregnant sow s a part

of the area required in paragraph 38 equal to at

least 0.95 m 2 per gilt and 1.3 m 2 per sow m ust

be of continuous solid floor of w hich a m axim um

of 15% is reserved for drainage open ings.

40.Sow s and gilts kept on h oldings of few er than

10 sow s m ay be kept individually provided that

their accom m odation com plies w ith therequirem ents of paragraphs 6 and 7 of Part II of

this Schedule [see the box above paragraph 47].

41.In addition to the requ irem ents of paragraph 14

of Part II of this Sch edule [see the box above

paragraph 67], sow s and gilts m ust be fed using

a system w hich ensures that each individual can

obtain sufficient food even w hen com petitors

for the food are present.

42.A ll dry pregn ant sow s and gilts m ust be given a

sufficient quantity of bulky or high fibre food as

w ell as high energy food to satisfy their hung er

and need to chew .

102 Inn ate aggressiveness can present a severe

problem w here sow s and gilts are kept in g roups.M uch depend s on the tem peram ent of individual

anim als. A dequate space is particularly im po rtant at

the tim e of m ixing sow s so that anim als can escape

from aggressors. First parity sow s and sow s that

have lost body condition should be m anag ed as

separate groups. Stock-keepers should ensure that

persistent bullying , w hich could lead to severe injury

or deprivation of foo d, does no t take place. You

shou ld rem ove any anim al suffering persistent

bu llying to d ifferent accom m od ation.

103 Feed ing facilities in w hich an im als can be fed

individually and thereafter released are

recom m end ed. H ow ever, if you feed sow s using a

system that does not include som e form ofprotection during feeding , such as floo r feeding,

then yo u m ust distribu te the feed w idely and in

such a w ay to en sure that all m em bers of the g roup

can obtain their allocation.

104 Breeding sow s and gilts should be fed

sim ultaneously w herever possible to avoid u nd ue

excitem ent. Som e feeding system s have been

designed to feed anim als sequentially w ithout

interference from pen-m ates. You need to pay

special attention to the proper fun ction ing of such

equipm ent and also m ake sure that all m em bers of

the group can ob tain their allocation .

105 The provision of bed ding in loose housingsystem s for sow s and gilts is strong ly

recom m ended.

29

D ry sow s and gilts



(A m end m ent) Regulations 2003 (S.I. 2003 N o. 299),Schedule 6 , Part VI, paragraph 52 states:

The unob structed floo r area available to each

w eaner or rearing pig reared in a group shall be at

least -

(a) 0.15 m 2 for each pig w here the average

w eight of the pigs in the group is 10 kg or less;

(b) 0.20 m 2 for each pig w here the average

w eight of the p igs in the group is m ore than

10 kg but less than or equal to 2 0 kg;

(c) 0.30 m 2 for each pig w here the average



(d) 0.40 m 2 for each pig w here the averagew eight of the p igs in the group is m ore than


(e) 0.55 m 2 for each pig w here the average



(f) 0.65 m 2 for each pig w here the average


85 kg b ut less than or equal to 1 10 kg;

(g) 1.00 m 2 for each pig w here the average


110 kg.

100 The figures in the b ox above are m inim um

requirem ents, the type of hou sing and itsm anagem ent m ay m ean that greater space

allow ances are necessary. The total floo r space

should b e adequate for sleeping , feeding and

exercising. The lying area, excluding the dun ging

and exercise areas, sho uld be of sufficient size to

allow all the pigs to lie dow n on their sides at the

sam e tim e.



Schedule 6, Part VI, paragraphs 48 to 51 state:

48 .Pigs shall be placed in groups as soon as

possible after w ean ing . They shall be kept instable grou ps w ith as little m ixing as possible.

49 .If pigs unfam iliar w ith on e an other have to be

m ixed, this should be do ne at as young an ag e

as possible, preferably before or up to one w eek

after w eaning . W hen pigs are m ixed they shall

be p rovided w ith ad equate op portunities to

escape and h ide from other pigs.

50 .The use of tranquillising m edication in o rder to

facilitate m ixing shall be lim ited to exceptional

cond ition s and on ly after consultation w ith a

veterinary surgeon .

51 .W hen sign s of severe figh ting appear, the causes

shall be im m ediately investigated and

appropriate m easures shall be taken .

101 Your herd health an d w elfare plan shou ld

include a strategy for m anaging m ixing and

establishing grou ps of pigs. Plenty of space,

sufficient environm ental enrichm ent and using

show er sprays/sprinklers can all help to m inim ise

aggression at m ixing. W herever possible, pigs for

fattening shou ld b e in sam e sex group s to avoid

un necessary sexual activity as gilts com e into

oestrus.

28


W eaners and rearing pigs


18/20

Genera l


Regulation s 2000 (S.I. 20 00 N o. 1870), Schedule 1,

paragraph 1 7 states that:

A nim als not kept in buildings shall, w here necessary

and possible, be given protection from adverse

w eather condition s, predators and risks to their

health and shall, at all tim es, have access to a w ell-

drained lying area.

109 Sites for ou tdoor pig enterprises m ust be

chosen carefully. Land p ron e to floo ding , po orly

drained sites, stony (especially flinty) soils an d sites

w ith heavy soils (especially in areas w ith high

rainfall), are generally unsuitable for outdoor

system s. Free-draining soils, in low rainfall areas,

w ith low frost incidence are m ost suitable.

110 Field stocking d ensities m ust reflect the

suitability of the site and the system of

m anag em ent. A guideline of 25 sow s per hectare

overall is reasonable for suitable sites. You m ay

need to redu ce stocking densities on less ideal sites

or in extrem e circum stances during periods of

adverse w eather. M ore inform ation can b e found in

D efras boo klet,Site suitability for outdoor pigfarm ing(see the A pp endix).

111 Stock selected for outdoor production m ust be

suitable for outdoor conditions. M ost breedingcom panies provide lines that have been develop ed

for ou tdoor use.

112 Your herd health an d w elfare plan should

includ e a strategy for dealing w ith em ergency

situations such as, w ater provision in freezing

cond ition s and feed p rovision to the site and to the

pad docks in snow or severe w et w eather.

Biosecurity

113 If you take proper precautions w hen you m ove

w ithin the farm or you m ove anim als and

equipm ent, you can greatly reduce the chance of

spreading disease (see paragraphs 23 - 28).

Incom ing replacem ent stock w ill also need to be

acclim atised to outdoor conditions. It is especially

im portant to p rovide w arm com fortable

accom m odation for these anim als.

114 To prevent the build-up and transfer of disease

organ ism s, you should re-site arcs betw een batches

of pigs and the straw bedding etc. shou ld be

rem oved. M ore inform ation on biosecurity can be

fou nd in the D efra p ublication Better biosecurity

provides peace of m ind, healthy stock and a m oreviable bu siness(see the A pp

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