Animal category: Porcines

How is pig welfare assessed in studies on farrowing housing systems? A systematic review

Bianca Vandresen, Jen-Yun Chou, Maria José Hötzel

Published in 2024

Systematic review analyzing methods to assess the welfare of sows and piglets in different housing systems in the period around farrowing and lactation: it looks at conventional farrowing crates and alternative systems (loose farrowing pens, group housing, outdoor farrowing, hinged crates and ellipsoid crates).

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Porcines

Key words:Animal adaptation, Animal-based measurement, Animal housing, Enrichment, Welfare indicator, Lactation, Housing, Restraint equipment, Maternal, One Welfare, Stress, Breeding system.

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Effects of different tooth grinding procedures on the occurrence of tooth injuries, skin lesions, performance and behaviour of suckling piglets

Franziska Anna kleine Kruthaup, Michaela Fels, Carolin Bernarda Timphaus, Fritjof Freise, Swetlana Herbrandt, Elisabeth große Beilage

Published in 2024

Scientific article analysing the impacts of teeth grinding techniques for piglets on piglet and sow lesions, and on the weight development and behavior of unweaned piglets. A diamond rolling head caused more dental pulp injuries than a tea cup roller. Roller grinding caused fewer head lesions in piglets than when teeth were left intact. Weight gain in piglets with tea cup-ground teeth was greater than for the two other groups. Where necessary, tooth grinding with a cup wheel is to be preferred.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Porcines

Key words:Aggression, Aggressiveness, Pain, Lactation, Maternal, Mutilation

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Access to bedding and outdoor runs for growing-finishing pigs: is it possible to improve welfare without increasing environmental impacts?

A.K. Ruckli, S. Hörtenhuber, S. Dippel, P. Ferrari, M. Gebska, M. Heinonen, J. Helmerichs, C. Hubbard, H. Spoolder, A. Valros, C. Winckler, C. Leeb

Published in 2024

Scientific article showing that the provision of bedding or access to an outdoor run to improve pig welfare can have an impact on the environment through changes in feed efficiency and manure management.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Porcines

Keywords:Adaptation of the environment to the animal, Livestock building, Enrichment, Environment, Risk management, Housing, Pollution, Livestock system, Societal issues, Well-being indicator

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National Assembly: written answer to question n°14325: Submission of government report on on-farm slaughtering trials

Question: Lisa Belluco (Ecologist - NUPES - Vienna). Answer: Ministry of Agriculture and Food Sovereignty.

Published in 2024

Question from a member of the French National Assembly on the introduction of mobile on-farm slaughterhouses. The French Ministry of Agriculture and Food Sovereignty has announced the recent publication of a regulation amending Regulation (EC) 853/53/2004 to regulate the use of mobile on-farm slaughter caissons.

Document types: Regulation/Certification

Animal categories: Bovines, Caprines, Ovines, Porcines, Poultry

Keywords: Carcass quality, Euthanasia, Housing,Animal trade, Pain, Transport

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Animal welfare at slaughter: perceptions and knowledge across cultures

Michelle Sinclair, Maria José Hötzel, Natasha Y. P. Lee, Maria Catalina T. de Luna, Arvind Sharma, Musadiq Idris, Mohammad Ariful Islam, Oluwaseun S. Iyasere, Grisel Navarro, Abdelkareem A. Ahmed, Georgette Leah Burns, Michael Curry, Jeremy N. Marchant

Published in 2023

Analysis of a survey of the general public to assess knowledge and attitudes towards animal welfare during slaughter (including religious slaughter), in 14 culturally and religiously diverse countries. The results suggest that concern for reducing animal suffering during slaughter is a universal human tendency rather than a cultural development. Acceptance of slaughter without prior stunning is linked to local interpretations of religious requirements.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories:Cattle, Goats, Sheep, Fish, Pigs, Poultry

Keywords:Consciousness, Pain, Education, Euthanasia, Fear, Human-animal relationship

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Gilts prefer an open pen to a stall

Ede, T., Ceribelli, M. & Parsons, T.D.

Published in 2024

Scientific article showing that, when given a choice, gilts prefer to spend time in an open pen rather than in an individual stall. Intrinsic (personality) and extrinsic (time of day, experimental day) factors also influence gilts' housing preferences.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Porcines

Keywords:Adaptation of the animal to the environment, Animal-based measurement, Farm buildings, Housing, Restraint equipment, Personality, Fear

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Early human contact and housing for pigs - Part 1: responses to humans, novelty and isolation

M E Lucas, L M Hemsworth, K L Butler, R S Morrison, A J Tilbrook, J N Marchant, J-L Rault, R Y Galea, P H Hemsworth

Published in 2024

Scientific article showing the beneficial impact of early human contact on the subsequent emotional responses of piglets reared in a conventional farrowing cage or in a free-range farrowing pen.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Porcines

Keywords:Animal adaptation to environment, Animal-based measurement, Animal housing, Housing, Restraint equipment, Maternal, Fear, Human-animal relationship, Stress

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Consumers across five European countries prioritise animal welfare above environmental sustainability when buying meat and dairy products

Jeanine Ammann, Gabriele Mack, Nadja El Benni, Shan Jin, Paul Newell-Price, Sophie Tindale, Erik Hunter, Victoria Vicario-Modroño, Rosa Gallardo-Cobos, Pedro Sánchez-Zamora, Simona Miškolci, Lynn J. Frewer

Published in 2024

Analysis of a survey among meat and dairy consumers in five European countries showing that freshness, quality/taste and animal welfare are the characteristics considered to be most important. Environmental factors such as food miles, carbon footprints and organic production appear to bew less important, even if they are perceived as useful.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories:Bovines, Ovines, Porcines, Poultry

Keywords:Education, Carcass quality, Environment, Carcass quality, Pollution, Livestock system, Welfare indicators, Processing, Societal issues

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Immunocastrer les porcs, qu’en pensent les consommateurs ?

Leroux M, Hémonic A, Tallet C

Published in 2024

Survey results showing that the provision to consumers of information on the technique of  immunocastration for pigs (as an alternative to castration) counters any reluctance they feel to buy this type of product.

Document types: Technical Paper

Animal categories: Porcines

Keywords:Castration, Pain, Education, Mutilation, Carcass quality, Sterilization, Processing

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Climate change, public health, and animal welfare: towards a One Health approach to reducing animal agriculture's climate footprint

Verkuijl Cleo, Smit Jessie, Green Jonathan M. H., Nordquist Rebecca E., Sebo Jeff, Hayek Matthew N., Hötzel Maria José

Published in 2024

Scientific summary article comparing the potential impacts on public health and animal welfare of three types of strategies often proposed in livestock farming to reduce greenhouse gas emissions: (1) "sustainable intensification" methods, (2) "species shift" approaches, and (3) "systemic dietary change" approaches.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: Bovines, Caprines, Ovines, Porcines, Poultry

Keywords:Adaptation of the environment to the animal, Environment, Risk management, Living environment, One Welfare, Pollution, Farming system, Societal issues

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