Pig survey demonstrates high standards

The British pig industry has welcomed the findings of one of the world’s largest reports on animal welfare – covering nearly 5.5 million pigs over three years.

AHDB’s Real Welfare report is the culmination of a unique, self-funded partnership between farmers and vets, developed in response to the pig industry’s desire for science-based evidence of welfare standards within the sector.

It intends to use the evidence to demonstrate the UK’s high husbandry standards to retailers, animal welfare lobby groups, policy makers and consumers.

Based on on-farm assessments covering 5,463,348 pigs over three years, representing 40.5% of all pigs present on farms on the day of assessment, the findings have been described as ‘hugely positive’ by National Pig Association chief executive Dr Zoe Davies.

The Real Welfare project looks beyond production systems, focusing on objective science-based indicators of the welfare of animals, themselves, rather than focusing on the environment the pigs are kept in.

Dr Davies said: “This is a truly groundbreaking report, which is the result of the pig industry’s desire to obtain a real picture of the welfare of pigs on our farms.

“The assessment highlighted very low levels of tail-damage, and while the proportion of pigs that have had their tails docked at 70%, may appear high, it is far lower than other major pig producing countries, where the level often nears 100%.

“Despite this positive figure, however, the industry is committed to continuing to drive further reductions in the number of pigs that have docked tails.

“This farmer-led initiative demonstrates to consumers exactly how high the welfare on our farms actually is and stems from a desire to be open and transparent with the public over how

This farmerled initiative demonstrates to consumers exactly how high the welfare on our farms actually is

their food is produced, despite increasingly damaging and fake messaging from anti-meat eating organisations.”

Mick Sloyan, AHDB pork strategy director, said: “We now have the biggest database of this kind in the world.

“Producers benefit because it gives them objective data which enables them work constructively with their vet to focus on areas of improvement.”

He said the data provides a benchmark as to where the pig industry is now and also gives farmers information that can be compared with one another.