Ireland publishes national pig performance report for 2019
For the first time the average pigs born alive per litter surpassed 14 pigs. Live weight and growth rate increased for growing and finishing pigs.
Page 4 of articles about management in Swine news
Spain publishes a new guide for the pig euthanasia on farms
Aimed at managers and staff on pig operations, the guide is intended to help make decisions: which animals should be euthanized and which method of euthanasia to use depending on the type of animal.
COVID-19: Be prepared with the Farm Crisis Operations Planning Tool
A new tool to assist with farm crisis planning can give you the peace of mind knowing you have a plan against any emergency that limits supplies or personnel.
France: few actions taken to reduce tail biting and avoid tail docking
An audit from the European Commission reveals that few tangible actions have been taken to improve compliance with the provisions of the Pig Directive, and to reduce tail biting and avoid tail docking of pigs.
UK: Updated pig welfare code in force
The new code published by the Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs (Defra) provides guidance to pig producers on how to practice the highest standards of animal welfare.
France: obligatory use of pain management when castrating pigs, farmers allowed to administer anesthetic or analgesic
Two decrees have been published, the first prohibits castration of piglets without anesthetics or analgesics, and the other allows farmers to use analgesics and anesthetics to reduce pain.
Germany: aid for the castration of piglets under anaesthetic
The ministry has budgeted 20 million euros in 2020 to promote the purchase of anaesthetics, providing financial support to livestock farmers.
EU: Harmonisation of animal welfare labelling
A transparent and harmonised EU animal welfare label could meet rising consumer expectations, open a new market, and improve animal welfare.
United Kingdom: New National Pig Centre to deliver important industry research
The University of Leeds is opening its £11 million National Pig Centre, which it believes will make Yorkshire one of the best places in Europe for pig research.
FVE & EAPHM position on preventing tail docking and tail biting
FVE and EAPHM to work together with national authorities to promote the establishment an implementation of a system to eliminate the need for routine tail docking to better animal welfare.
Animal advocacy organisations urge the EU to replace CO2 stunning of pigs
Eurogroup for Animals and its 69 member organisations are calling for a move away from high concentration CO2 stunning of pigs, a common method of slaughter.
USA: What swine growers need to know about garbage feeding
The Swine Health Protection Act allows each state to determine whether garbage feeding is allowed within their state. Many states do not allow garbage feeding.
The Netherlands propose ending tail docking by 2030
The Minister of Agriculture of The Netherlands, Ms Carola Schouten, has agreed to end routine tail docking of piglets by 2030 with the Dutch pig sector.
Germany: the Bundesrat rejects the compulsory animal welfare labelling
The initiative presented by Lower Saxony regarding obligatory nature of an animal welfare labelling did not reach the needed majority when voted in the Bundesrat last September 20th, 2019.
Germany approves a new state and voluntary label in favour of animal health
The federal government has agreed on the introduction of a state and uniform label in favour of animal health to tag animal-derived food. The Bill on the labelling in favour of animal welfare was approved last September 4th, and it would regulate in a first stage, the labelling of pork.
German farmers will be allowed to anaesthetise piglets to castrate them
The German Cabinet has ratified the regulation through which the German farmers will be able to anaesthetise their piglets with isofluorane to eliminate pain during castration.