management
General
The Welfare of Farmed Animals (Scotland) Regulations 2000 (S.S.I. 2000 No. 442), Schedule 1, Paragraph 17 states that: Animals not kept in buildings must, where necessary and possible, be given protection from adverse weather conditions, predators and risks to their health and, at all times, have access to a well-drained lying area. |
The Welfare of Farmed Animals (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2003 (S.S.I. 2003 No. 488), Schedule 6, Part II, Paragraph 10 states that: 10(1) Housing, pens, equipment and utensils used for pigs must be properly cleaned and disinfected as necessary to prevent cross-infection and the build-up of disease-carrying organisms. (2) Faeces, urine and uneaten or spilt food must be removed as often as necessary to minimise smell and avoid attracting flies or rodents. |
77 You should keep all buildings, fields and paddocks should be kept clear of debris, such as wire, plastic and sharp objects, that could injure the pigs or rip out their ear tags and damage their ears.
78 You should take all practical measures to remove all pigs from areas that are in imminent danger of flooding.
Environmental Enrichment
The Welfare of Farmed Animals (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2003 (S.S.I. 2003 No. 488), Schedule 6, Part II, Paragraph 16 states that: To enable proper investigation and manipulation activities, all pigs must have permanent access to a sufficient quantity of material such as straw, hay, wood, sawdust, mushroom compost, peat or a mixture of such, which does not adversely affect the health of the animals. |
79 Environmental enrichment provides pigs with the opportunity to root, investigate, chew and play. Straw is an excellent material for environmental enrichment as it can satisfy many of the pigs' behavioural and physical needs. It provides a fibrous material which the pig can eat; the pig is able to root in and play with long straw; and, when used as bedding, straw can provide the pig with physical and thermal comfort.
80 Objects such as footballs and chains can satisfy some of the pigs' behavioural needs, but can quickly lose their novelty factor. The long-term use of such items is not, therefore, recommended unless they are used in conjunction with materials such as those listed above, or are changed on a weekly basis.
Castration
The Welfare of Farmed Animals (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2003 (S.S.I. 2003 No. 488), Schedule 6, Part II, Paragraphs 22 and 23(2) state that: 22 Male pigs may be castrated provided the means employed do not involve tearing of tissues. 23(2) If castration is carried out after the seventh day of life, it shall only be performed by a veterinary surgeon in accordance with the provisions of the Protection of Animals (Anaesthetics) Act 1954. |
81 Stockkeepers should consider carefully whether castration is necessary. Castration is a mutilation and should be avoided wherever possible. If it cannot be avoided, it must be carried out in accordance with the law by a trained and competent operator, or a veterinary surgeon.
Tail Docking
The Welfare of Farmed Animals (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2003 (S.S.I. 2003 No. 488), Schedule 6, Part II, Paragraphs 21 and 23(1) state that: 21 The following procedures shall not be permitted routinely but only where there is evidence that injuries to sows' teats or to other pigs' ears or tails have occurred: - docking of a part of the tail
but no tail docking may be carried out unless other measures to improve environmental conditions or management systems have been taken in order to prevent tail biting or other vices. 23(1) If docking of tails is carried out after the seventh day of life, it shall only be performed under anaesthetic and additional prolonged analgesia by a veterinary surgeon. |
82 Tail biting and other vices, such as ear and flank biting, are associated with some form of stress. They can be triggered by a wide range or combination of factors, including: overstocking, feed deficiencies, incorrect temperature levels, fluctuating temperature levels, inadequate ventilation, draughts, high levels of dust and noxious gases ( i.e. ammonia) and lack of environmental enrichment. Sometimes changes in external weather conditions can also trigger an outbreak.
83 If tail biting does occur, it can spread quickly through the pen and the degree of injury increases very quickly. You should ensure that affected pigs are removed to a hospital pen and treated without delay. If possible, you should try to identify the instigator and remove the animal to a separate pen.
84 Routine tail docking is not permitted. Tail docking is only permitted as a last resort after improvements to the pigs' environment and management have proved ineffectual. Where it is necessary to tail dock, it must be carried out in accordance with the law by a veterinary surgeon or by a competent, trained operator. All equipment used must be cleaned and disinfected between pigs.
85 As part of your herd health and welfare plan (see Paragraphs 8 and 22), you must have a strategy for dealing with outbreaks of vice such as tail biting. Although much has been learnt from research and practical on-farm experience, it is not possible to produce a definitive solution for all cases. A thorough assessment and planned approach is therefore recommended to identify the particular cause of an outbreak on the unit and to find the appropriate solution to the problem.
- Quantify the problem
Note the position of pens and numbers of pigs affected, check records of previous incidents. - List possible causes
Such as interruption or inadequate supply of feed or water, lack of environmental enrichment, inadequate ventilation, draughts, incorrect temperature levels, overstocking, competition at feeding, excessive light levels, elevated dust/noxious gas levels. Different causes may be found in different pens on the same unit. - Modify health and welfare plan
Having identified areas for improvement, in consultation with the herd's veterinary surgeon and other technical advisers, modify your health and welfare plan to implement the necessary changes with a view to preventing future outbreaks of tail biting.
Teeth clipping/grinding
The Welfare of Farmed Animals (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2003 (S.S.I. 2003 No. 488), Schedule 6, Part II, Paragraph 21 states that: The following procedures shall not be carried out routinely, but only where there is evidence that injuries to sows' teats or to other pigs' ears or tails have 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 smooth surface; but no tooth reduction may be carried out unless other measures to improve environmental conditions or management systems have been taken in order to prevent tail biting and other vices. |
86 Routine clipping or grinding of teeth is not permitted. Tooth reduction to the upper and lower corner teeth ("eye" or canine teeth) of piglets should only be used as a last resort. Your health and welfare plan should identify circumstances where tooth reduction may be necessary. These might include large litter size, cross fostering, gilts and poor milk let down such as mastitis.
87 Where tooth reduction is to be carried out, it may not always be necessary for the whole litter. Where it is necessary, it should be carried out before the seventh day of life, in accordance with the law, by a trained and competent operator or by a veterinary surgeon. Suitable sharp, clean clippers or an appropriate grinder should be used. All equipment used should be cleaned and disinfected between pigs. Teeth grinders are recommended as there is a reduced risk of shattering the teeth.
Natural Service
The Welfare of Farmed Animals (Scotland) Regulations 2000 (S.I. 2000 No. 442) Schedule 1, Paragraph 28, states that 28(1) Subject to sub-paragraph (2), natural or artificial breeding or breeding procedures which cause, or are likely to cause, suffering or injury to any of the animals concerned must not be practised. (2) Sub-paragraph (1) does not preclude the use of natural or artificial breeding procedures that are likely to cause minimal or momentary suffering or injury or that might necessitate interventions which would not cause lasting injury. |
88 All boars should have good and safe service conditions. Slatted floors and slippery conditions underfoot are not suitable for mating animals. As part of your health and welfare plan, you should discuss with the herd's veterinary surgeon how to avoid injury to boars and sows through excessive mating activity.
Artificial Insemination, Vasectomy and Electro-ejaculation
The Welfare of Farmed Animals (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2003 (S.S.I. 2003 No. 488), Schedule 6, Part II, Paragraph 7(3) lists certain exemptions from the requirement that a pig shall be free to turn round without difficulty at all times, including: provided that the period during which it is so kept is not longer than necessary for that purpose. |
89 You should keep the sows in their groups until insemination, at which time they can be moved to an appropriate stall or pen and inseminated. Sows should be allowed time to settle down in the stall or pen, and then exposed to a boar in order to encourage the standing reflex before artificial insemination takes place.
90 Sows should be left undisturbed, to allow uterine contractions, for up to thirty minutes after artificial insemination (and natural service), but they should then rejoin their group in order to minimise bullying within the group hierarchy. When double insemination is used, sows may be penned separately until 30 minutes after the second insemination, but pens must allow the animal to turn round easily.
The Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966, as amended by the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966 (Schedule 3 Amendment) Order 1988 (S.I. 1988 No. 526) prohibits the performance of a vasectomy or the carrying out of electro-ejaculation by anyone other than a veterinary surgeon. |
91 Semen collection and artificial insemination should only be carried out by a trained, competent and experienced operator. Vasectomy or electro-ejaculation may only be carried out by a veterinary surgeon.