British agriculture has among the highest welfare standards in the world, and all livestock farms must comply with comprehensive environmental and animal welfare legislation. Since 2018, CCTV has been mandatory in all slaughterhouses.
The Government published a new code of practice for the welfare of pigs, which sets out the highest standards on how to keep pigs, using the latest scientific and veterinary advice to safeguard and enhance welfare standards. I urge all farmers and those in the industry to take full heed of it.
The Government cares very much about animal welfare and is currently examining the evidence around the use of cages for farm animals in order to consider the options. Ministers have been clear that it is their ambition that farrowing crates should no longer be used for sows. Indeed, the new pig welfare code clearly states that “the aim is for farrowing crates to no longer be necessary and for any new system to protect the welfare of the sow, as well as her piglets.” I am pleased to confirm the UK is already ahead of most pig producing countries in terms of non-confinement farrowing, with around 40 per cent of our pigs housed outside and not farrowed with crates.
Additional information from the British Veterinary Association on the use of pig farrowing crates can be accessed here.
The aim is for farrowing crates to no longer be necessary and for any new system to protect the welfare of the sow, as well as her piglets. Where the sow is confined in a farrowing crate, it should be large enough to accommodate her and to allow her to rise and lie down without difficulty and should be easily accessed in an emergency. The crate length should be sufficient to allow space for farrowing. The sow should only be confined in a crate for the minimum time possible. Where the crate incorporates a design that can be opened to allow the sow to turn freely, this should be carried out as soon as practicable and usually within four days of farrowing, unless there is an overriding health or welfare reason to alter this.