• Research Results & Reports
• Animal welfare campaign
• Current Housing Systems
• Energy content and feed evaluation systems
• Guidelines for A.I. stations
• Nutrients Standards

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Animal welfare campaign

Here you will find some information about pig production.

Sows

    » Use the hospital pen in time
    » Hospital pen
    » 10-point plan for handling of shoulder ulcers
    » Prevention of gastric ulcers in gilts and sows
    » Gilts: Selection and housing
    » Sows – assessment of condition and feeding
    » Prevention of leg and hoof injuries
    » Two-step nurse sow 
    » Strategy for transfer of sows to ESF systems
    » Destruction with correct use of a captive bolt pistol and bleeding 
    » 10-point plan for reduction of sow mortality
           - Manual recording (PDF)
           - Manual recording (Word)

Reproduction

    » Optimum reproduction - Correct oestrus check

Detectable needles

    » Avoid remains of hypodermic needles

Growers and finishers

    » Rooting and enrichment materials
    » Pain relief during castration

Campaign

In 2003, the organisation Danish Pig Production initiated an extensive campaign to reduce animal welfare problems in the Danish pig sector. The campaign is aimed at herd owners, herd employees, veterinarians, etc.

Dead and destroyed animals in the herd

An important part of the campaign is to reduce the number of animals that either die or has to be killed in the herd because of bad animal welfare.

Weaners: The long-term goal is to reduce the mortality to 1% in all herds! Every time you reduce mortality by 1 percentage point in the weaner facility (7-30 kg), it corresponds to a profit of DKK 3.2 per pig produced.

WTF production: The long-term goal is to reduce the mortality to 2.5% in all herds! Every time you reduce mortality by 1 percentage point in the WTF facility (7-105 kg), it corresponds to a profit of DKK 4.9 per pig produced.

Growers and finishers: The long-term goal is to reduce the mortality to 1.5% in all herds! Every time you reduce mortality by 1 percentage point in the finisher facility (30 - 105 kg), it corresponds to a profit of DKK 6.6 per finisher produced.

Danish legislation demands registration of all dead and destroyed animals in the herd. All registrations shall be stored for 3 years so that they can be shown at inspections by the authorities.

Here you will find a note pad containing recording forms that you can use for your daily recordings in the facilities.

When you have recorded the daily activities for a period of time, analyse the recordings and enter the data into the table below. The table is used for following the development over time.

     
Mortality is calculated as follows:

% dead/destroyed = (no. dead and destroyed animals in total × 365 × 100) / (pigs produced a year × days)

A number of different diseases or injuries can lead to situations where the farmer are obliged to kill the animal. By proper prophylaxis many of these necessary killings can be avoided.

Here you will find a note pad containing suggestions for prophylactic initiatives.

Daily supervision in herd

Danish legislation demands that all animals are inspected every day. The inspection helps to see if all animals are fine or if there is any animals who need extra care.

Daily supervision of animals. Here you will find a note pad containing suggestions for carrying out daily inspections in herds with weaners, growers and finishers.

Hospital pens

Danish legislation demands that there shall be a sufficient number of hospital pens in all herds. The hospital pens shall have soft floor with either a straw bedding or a rubber mat. There shall be certain system for cooling and heating, so that the animals can regulate their temperature. Finally the space allowance should be fulfilled.

Here you will find a note pad containing information on hospital pens for herds with weaners, growers and finishers.

Diseases / injuries

Here you can find note pads containing information on different diseases or injuries.

    » Hernia - suitable for transport or not?
    » 10-point plan for handling of tail biting
    » Tail bites - suitable for transport or not? 
    » Respiratory disease
    » Gastro-intestinal disease
    » Lameness - fit for transport?

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