Welfare Of Pigs

The domestic pig is perceived as an animal with intelligence and character and yet, in the industrialized world, the majority of people have had little or no contact with them. Pigs are subject to a wide range of environments from the tropics to the sub-arctic, ranging from small-scale, extensive systems to large-scale intensive systems. They may spend their whole life on one farm or may be subject to long-distance transport multiple times. Not surprisingly, many aspects of their life experiences can impact their welfare. This book brings together a team of leading pig welfare research scientists to review the natural history of the pig, the welfare of pigs at different stages of life and to indicate what the future holds in terms of pig welfare. The text is aimed at researchers and teachers working in veterinary and animal science together with those working in the pig industry and for governmental and non-governmental animal welfare organizations.

Advances in Pig Welfare analyzes current topical issues in the key areas of pig welfare assessment and improvement. With coverage of both recent developments and reviews of historical welfare issues, the volume provides a comprehensive survey of the field. The book is divided into two sections. Part One opens with an overview of main welfare challenges in commercial pig production systems and then reviews pig welfare hot spots from birth to slaughter. Part Two highlights emerging topics in pig welfare, such as pain and health assessment, early socialization and environmental enrichment, pig-human interactions, breeding for welfare, positive pig welfare and pigs as laboratory animals. This book is an essential part of the wider ranging series Advances in Farm Animal Welfare, with coverage of cattle, sheep, pigs and poultry. With its expert editor and international team of contributors, Advances in Pig Welfare is a key reference tool for welfare research scientists and students, veterinarians involved in welfare assessment, and indeed anyone with a professional interest in the welfare of pig. Provides in-depth reviews of emerging topics, research, and applications in pig welfare Analyzes on-farm assessment of pig welfare, an extremely important marker for the monitoring of real welfare impacts of any changes in husbandry systems Edited by a leader in the field of pig welfare, with contributing experts from veterinary science, welfare academia, and practitioners in industry

A concise practical handbook on high welfare standards in pig farming for people who work directly with animals. The aim is to improve animal health and farm profitability through introducing good husbandry practices and finding low cost solutions to improve welfare for the animals. Aimed at farmers, stockmen, food industry personnel, and agricultural students, the book explains why welfare is important for the animal and the farm, what good welfare looks like, how to measure welfare in practice using assessment tools, and practical advice for improving welfare for pigs. (5m Books)

This collection reviews the genetic and developmental factors that affect pig behaviour and assesses ways of optimising pig welfare at different stages of production, from breeding to slaughter.

This new edition of the Code is intended as a guide for all people responsible for the welfare of pigs under both intensive, deep litter and outdoor systems. Good welfare of farmed pigs will ensure that pigs cope well in their environment and that factors such as growth, reproductive performance, disease levels, injuries and death rates are within industry standards. The Code recognizes that the basic requirement for the welfare of pigs is a husbandry system, managed by trained and skilled stock-people to ensure that basic needs of pigs are met: * Readily accessible appropriate and sufficient food and water * Adequate shelter to protect from climatic extremes * Opportunity to display appropriate patterns of behaviour * Physical handling in a manner which minimizes the likelihood of unreasonable or unnecessary pain or distress * Protection from, and/or rapid diagnosis and correct treatment of injury or disease * Freedom for necessary movement including to stand, stretch and lie down * Visual and social contact with other pigs This Model Code of Practice for the Welfare of Animals has been prepared by the Animal Welfare Working Group (AWWG) for the Primary Industries Ministerial Council (PIMC). The AWWG is made up of representatives from CSIRO, Animal Health Australia, the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry - Australia, and from each of the State Departments responsible for agriculture. Extensive consultation has taken place with industry and animal welfare organisations in the development of the Code. This new edition supercedes the Second Edition, SCARM Report 66

The current scientific literature contains reviews and articles on specific aspects of pig production and farm animal welfare. This book is intended to be a reference text that covers all aspects of pig production, on the basis of scientific results. This work contains current, easy-to-understand scientific reviews on animal welfare with over 700 specific references to animal welfare. All aspects of animal welfare with respect to pigs are discussed, from genetic selection and breeding to transportation and slaughter. This work was written by scientific experts renowned for their knowledge and work in the area of pig welfare. Their common goal was to provide an in-depth review and empirical assessment of pig production concepts, knowledge and techniques in use today. Through scientific examples, the authors explain how improving animal welfare increases profitability. This work is intended for academics, researchers, students, animal welfare associations, industry and anyone who is involved in the production chain or concerned about the welfare of pigs being raised on farms.

"The objective of this book is to provide a scientifically-based outline for how to evaluate the welfare of pigs at a farm level. Attention is focused on the assessment of the validation of the inferred indicators and parameters, and the validity, reliability and the feasibility of the measuring methods. The book includes mainly animal-based parameters, although other environmentally-based and management-based parameters are also described. These issues are elaborated by well-known experts in their field of work, i.e. fundamental and applied research on all aspects related to the production of pigs. This unique approach has added-value compared to other books because ideas developed in laboratory conditions are discussed here in relation to constraints experienced in field work. Readers from various disciplines will find this critical analysis of the on-farm monitoring of pig welfare useful in relation to the development of certification procedures, the evaluation of production systems (farm, transport, slaughter), the analysis and solving of welfare related problems and in the development of new research projects."

Advances in Pig Welfare, Second Edition continues its complete coverage of key areas of pig welfare assessment, management and improvement. The book covers both recent developments and reviews of historical welfare issues, with 12 new chapters addressing the most relevant and significant issues from a global perspective. Sections review the needs of pigs, including chapters on the physical environment and the social and emotional needs of the animals, key welfare issues in the pig's lifecycle from birth to slaughter, including weaning, aggression and pig-human interactions, and emerging topics such as prenatal stress, individual differences and organic farming. Final sections cover pig welfare and attitudes towards pig welfare amongst farmers and other stakeholders. Written by an international team of leaders in the field, the book continues to be a useful resource for practicing vets involved in welfare assessment, welfare research scientists and students, and indeed anyone with a professional interest in the welfare of pigs.