Animal category: Pigs

Scientific review showing that the fact that pig farming in Finland does not involve tail docking is made possible by the commitment of farmers and the improvement of housing and enrichment conditions.

Scientific paper showing that changes in Swedish animal welfare regulations between 1988 and 2019 have increased the level of animal welfare protection for cattle, pigs and horses, but that a number of individual requirements have been relaxed to meet objectives other than animal welfare.

A scientific review of the criteria for identifying and managing low-viability piglets at an early stage to increase their chances of survival, and proposal of measures to be taken in pregnant and lactating sows to reduce the proportion of low viability piglets.

Scientific paper showing that growing pigs subjected to a musical stimulus for 8 days had a decreased stress response, and those subjected to the same musical stimulus for 60 days had an enhanced immune response. Pigs subjected to a noise stimulus were more aggressive and had a decreased immune response.

Scientific paper evaluating and demonstrating the efficacy of Tri-Solfen® when used as a pre-operative instillation to alleviate the subsequent acute pain associated with castration in piglets under commercial production conditions.

INRAE dossier on the research and expert advice provided by the Institute in the field of animal welfare, which is carried out in an interdisciplinary manner, and aims to improve the living conditions of farm animals while taking into account the working conditions of farmers, along with economic, environmental and land-use considerations.

A scientific review of the use of data collected in the course of precision farming that can provide a resource in addition to expert knowledge to help decision-making on the combined issues of the management of animal health and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.

Thematic dossier from the Coopérative Agricole, based on three fundamental principles: improving understanding of animal welfare, putting it into practice in a practical and pragmatic way in France and its territories, and providing a sustainable picture of the pride the agricultural professions take in their work. The dossier emphasises the close links between the welfare of animals and of those who work with them and highlights the benefits of the approaches it describes.

Technical paper setting out the advantages and disadvantages of the two main techniques for socialising piglets housed indoors: one allows piglets to move freely between farrowing pens but not dams, and the other allows dams and piglets to interact freely. The outcomes of early socialisation are not only behavioural (more play, less aggression) but also physiological, with lower metabolic energy levels that could explain reductions in stress and aggression.

Scientific review setting out to identify articles on risk factors and interventions associated with tail biting in pigs, along with data gaps in the literature.