Rearing Pigs with Intact Tails-Experiences and Practical Solutions in Sweden

Impact of feed, light and access to manipulable material on tail biting in pigs with intact tails

BACKGROUND

Tail biting (TB) is a welfare issue with economic consequences due to infections and ill-thrift. This study aimed to reduce tail injuries in a high-performing non-tail-docking pig herd.

RESULTS

During eleven years preceding the trial, the annual incidence of tail injuries registered at slaughter in pigs from the herd increased from 3% (equivalent to the national mean) to 10%. It was positively correlated to a high weight gain and negatively correlated to daylight length. The overall incidence of tail injuries during the four years preceding the trial was 9.2% with significant differences between four identically structured buildings for fatteners (I < II < III < IV). The feed was enriched with amino acids, minerals and fibres. The buildings used different illumination strategies, I: standard fluorescent tubes with an invisible flickering light of 30-40% for 14 h daily, II: non-flickering led light for 14 h daily, III (control) and IV: standard fluorescent tubes for 2 h daily. IV had free access to manipulable material (hay-silage), while I-III was offered 100-200 g daily. During the adaptation period (6 months), the incidence of tail injuries decreased significantly in all buildings to a mean of 5.4%. The largest decrease (from 11.4 to 4.3%) was obtained in IV. During the trial period (12 months), the mean incidence of tail injuries decreased in all groups to a mean of 3.0%. There were no differences in treatment incidences of individual pigs due to TB between groups, but the use of enriched pellets due to TB in pens was lowest in II. The low incidence of tail injuries was retained during the post-trial period (6 months) when all buildings used artificial illumination for two hours per day.

CONCLUSIONS

The incidence of TB in fast growing non-tail-docked pigs in the herd was successfully reduced by supplementing the feed with amino acids, minerals, vitamins and fibres. Additional manipulable material accelerated that process and non-flickering illumination may have had an impact in preventing TB. The results obtained do not support the need for tail-docking of pigs, provided that the needs of the pigs in terms of feed ingredients, stocking density and access to manipulable materials are fulfilled.

Exploring the Impact of Human-Animal Connections and Trust in Labeling Consumers' Intentions to Buy Cage-Free Eggs: Findings from Taiwan

Recently, interest in animal welfare has steadily increased, driven by a growing focus on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) issues. This trend aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set by the United Nations. This underscores the importance of comprehending consumer attitudes towards products that are respectful to animal welfare. This research aims to employ the Value-Attitude-Behavior (VAB) model as a theoretical basis to explore the behavioral intentions of Taiwanese consumers to buy cage-free eggs. To provide comprehensive insights into consumer behavior in this domain, the study examines key variables such as 'human-nature connectedness', 'trust in labels', and 'attitude towards animal welfare'. By addressing an existing research gap in the literature and exploring consumer behavior in relation to animal welfare-friendly products, the research contributes to an area that has received limited attention. We gathered a total of 341 valid questionnaires for this research. Employing Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) along with Maximum Likelihood Estimation (MLE), we investigated the causal connections between variables. The study presents three key observations: First, consumers who value sustainability and ethics tend to maintain a positive perspective on free-range eggs. Second, a favorable stance towards cage-free eggs directly correlates with positive future behaviors. Lastly, label trustworthiness and a supportive view towards animal welfare heavily affect behavioral intentions in consumers. Given these insights and the growing significance of animal welfare in consumer choices, we recommend that participants in the food and livestock sector earnestly advocate for and back practices that prioritize animal well-being.

The importance of slaughterhouses in monitoring the occurrence of tail biting in pigs - Review

Tail biting in pigs represents a very serious problem in modern pig farming, particularly with the intensification of the industry. It is considered a multifactorial syndrome and can be caused by various factors, leading to significant economic losses through reduced weight gain and partial or total condemnation of slaughtered carcasses due to secondary bacterial infections. The aim of this article is to summarise the current knowledge regarding tail biting in pigs, with a primary focus on the use of slaughterhouses for evaluating tail lesions and monitoring their prevalence. The introduction addresses the factors influencing the incidence of tail biting in pig farms and prevention strategies. Subsequent sections cover topics such as tail docking, the negative effects of pig tail biting, the advantages and drawbacks of examining tail lesions in slaughterhouses, and the methodical procedure for evaluating such lesions. Additionally, the article discusses the relationship between tail lesions and meat inspection findings, as well as the prevalence of tail lesions in various European countries.

Evaluation of carcass quality, body and pulmonary lesions detected at the abattoir in heavy pigs subjected or not to tail docking

BACKGROUND

Nowadays, body and tail lesions and respiratory disease are some of the greatest problems affecting the health and welfare of pigs. The aim of the study was to measure the prevalence of pleurisy, bronchopneumonia (enzootic pneumonia like lesions) and lesions on tail and body of heavy pigs subjected or not to tail docking through the inspection in Italian abattoirs. Additionally, the effect of tail docking and season was investigated on carcass quality (weight, % of lean meat, and Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) classification). For this purpose, a total 17.256 carcasses belonging to 171 batches from 103 farms were inspected in an Italian abattoir between 2019 and 2022. Enzootic pneumonia (EP) like lesions were scored according to the Madec and Derrien method, while pleurisy was scored using the Italian Slaughterhouse pleuritic evaluation system (SPES). For the tail and body, the lesions were scored according to Welfare Quality. The lesion score index (LSI) was calculated for each area. Data were analysed using a general linear model (GLM) including tail caudectomy, season and distance of the farm from the abattoir.

RESULTS

The warm season increased the percentage of lesions in carcasses in all parts of the body observed (P < 0.0001). The presence of undocked tail increased the LSI of the tail (P < 0.0001). The percentage of limbs lesions with score 2 and limbs LSI increase with increasing duration of transport (coef. = 0.003, P < 0.001; coef. = 0.008, P < 0.001; respectively). The hot carcass weight and the percentage of carcasses included in the PDO were higher in batches with docked tails (P = 0.027; P < 0.001, respectively), while the percentage of lean meat was higher in batches with undocked tails (P < 0.001). There was a negative correlation between the percentage of carcasses included in PDO and the LSI of tail (r = - 0.422; P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

In conclusion, the presence of the undocked tail and the warm season can be considered risk factors for the prevalence of tail lesions, while long transport can increase limb lesions. Furthermore, the carcass weight and meat quality were negatively influenced by tail lesions.

Stochastic partial budget analysis of strategies to reduce the prevalence of lung lesions in finishing pigs at slaughter

Ante- and post-mortem inspections of food-producing animals at slaughter are mandatory activities carried out in many countries to ensure public health, animal health, and meat quality. In finishing pigs, lung lesions are the most frequent defects found in meat inspections. It is possible to implement managerial strategies on-farm to reduce the occurrence and spread of respiratory diseases, but such strategies come with additional costs that could impede implementation. This study assessed the economic impact of two strategies aimed at reducing the prevalence of lung lesions in finishing pigs at slaughter by improving the health conditions of the animals during the production cycle. First, a farrow-to-finish pig farm with 355 sows was modeled based on the current standard practice for finishing pig production in Sweden, using economic data, meat inspection data and biological variables from the literature and expert opinions. A partial budget analysis was then performed in which the baseline farm was compared with two hypothetical strategies aimed at reducing the occurrence and spread of respiratory diseases during pig production: (S1) avoiding mixing of litters after weaning and (S2) keeping purchased pregnant gilts separated from sows during gestation, farrowing and lactation. Both these strategies intended to reduce the occurrence of respiratory disease in finishing pigs at slaughter gave an average gain in annual net income (33,805 SEK in S1 and 173,160 SEK in S2, equal to 3,146€ and 16,113€, respectively, at the time of analysis), indicating that both were economically sustainable under the assumed conditions. The impact analysis of the two strategies revealed that the reduced prevalence of lung lesions when adopting one of the strategies was the most influential factor in net benefit change on the farm. Overall, the results suggest that with the increasing prevalence of lung lesions in Swedish pig production (as also observed worldwide in recent years), adopting an effective strategy to decrease respiratory infections will become more relevant and economically beneficial.

Global and Brazilian Scenario of Guidelines and Legislation on Welfare in Pig Farming

Simple Summary

As with all production animals, pigs need environments suitable for their species, which results in less stress and suffering and more productivity. Therefore, there are quality standards and good management and production practices that must be followed to ensure their well-being. In this sense, over the last few years, many advances have been made, banning or restricting practices capable of causing suffering to animals in most producing countries. This review seeks to explore current global and Brazilian regulations on good production practices in swine farming.

Abstract

The evolution of scientific knowledge regarding animal sentience, together with the growing concerns of consumers regarding current production models, has brought with it the responsibility of reviewing many practices carried out in industrial swine farming, with the purpose of improving the life quality of animals throughout the entire production cycle. In this sense, many initiatives have been taken by European Union, OIE and other countries to abolish questionable practices from an animal welfare point of view, being signed through legislation or normative instructions, which guide governments and companies on the best practices to be adopted. Among the main changes that have taken place in swine farming are the ban or reduction in the use of cages for sows, restrictions on the age at weaning, ban on painful procedures such as surgical castration, tail and teeth clipping, as routine procedures or without the use of anesthesia/analgesia. In addition, these acts also prescribe practices that must be adopted in order to respect the natural behavior of animals, such as the use of environmental enrichment. This review aims to address the main advances made over the last few years in the protection of swine, as well as Brazilian initiatives in this regard.

Welfare of pigs on farm

This scientific opinion focuses on the welfare of pigs on farm, and is based on literature and expert opinion. All pig categories were assessed: gilts and dry sows, farrowing and lactating sows, suckling piglets, weaners, rearing pigs and boars. The most relevant husbandry systems used in Europe are described. For each system, highly relevant welfare consequences were identified, as well as related animal-based measures (ABMs), and hazards leading to the welfare consequences. Moreover, measures to prevent or correct the hazards and/or mitigate the welfare consequences are recommended. Recommendations are also provided on quantitative or qualitative criteria to answer specific questions on the welfare of pigs related to tail biting and related to the European Citizen's Initiative 'End the Cage Age'. For example, the AHAW Panel recommends how to mitigate group stress when dry sows and gilts are grouped immediately after weaning or in early pregnancy. Results of a comparative qualitative assessment suggested that long-stemmed or long-cut straw, hay or haylage is the most suitable material for nest-building. A period of time will be needed for staff and animals to adapt to housing lactating sows and their piglets in farrowing pens (as opposed to crates) before achieving stable welfare outcomes. The panel recommends a minimum available space to the lactating sow to ensure piglet welfare (measured by live-born piglet mortality). Among the main risk factors for tail biting are space allowance, types of flooring, air quality, health status and diet composition, while weaning age was not associated directly with tail biting in later life. The relationship between the availability of space and growth rate, lying behaviour and tail biting in rearing pigs is quantified and presented. Finally, the panel suggests a set of ABMs to use at slaughter for monitoring on-farm welfare of cull sows and rearing pigs.

Reduced Stocking Density and Provision of Straw in a Rack Improve Pig Welfare on Commercial Fattening Farms

The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of reduced stocking density in combination with provision of additional enrichment material on pig welfare on-farm. On three growing-finishing farms in Austria, in total 974, 413, and 70 pigs were kept at 1 m²/pig and straw or hay in a rack as additional enrichment material (improved pens, IP; n = 6–38 pens per farm) or in pens complying with the minimum legal requirements of 0.7 m²/pig (control pens, CP; n = 6–37 pens per farm). Behavior as well as skin, tail and ear lesions and pig soiling were assessed at the beginning and in the middle of the fattening period, while performance data were recorded at the end of the fattening period. Data analysis was performed for each farm separately using generalized linear and linear mixed models or Mann-Whitney U-Test. Pigs in IP less frequently manipulated pen mates' ears (Farm 1: Ptreatment*assessment = 0.002; Farm 2: P = 0.002) and body (Farm 1: P = 0.021; Farm 2: P = 0.015) than in CP. Prevalence of skin, tail and ear lesions and soiled pigs did not differ between treatments. In only one farm, average daily weight gain was higher in IP than in CP (Farm 1: P = 0.003). Our findings indicate that increased space allowance and provision of substrate can improve aspects of animal welfare within existing pig fattening systems, without requiring irreversible constructional modifications to the system.

Interactive Rooting Towers and Behavioural Observations as Strategies to Reduce Tail Biting on Conventional Pig Fattening Farms

Eight pens (25 pigs/pen; n = 200) provided with an interactive straw-filled rooting tower (experimental group) and five pens (25 pigs/pen; n = 125) with a stationary (fixed) tower without straw (control group) were compared within three fattening periods on a conventional farm with fully slatted flooring. The effectiveness of the tower to trigger favourable behaviour in feeding and outside feeding periods was assessed. The incidence of deep tail injuries was lower in the experimental group (experimental group: Odds Ratio 0.3, p < 0.001) and was influenced by the batch (Odds Ratio: 2.38, p < 0.001) but not by pen and sex. In spring, most pens were excluded due to severe tail biting. Tail injury scores were more severe in the control group in weeks 5, 6 and 7 compared to the experimental group (p = 0.002, p < 0.001, p < 0.001, respectively). Tower manipulation was more frequent during feeding compared to outside feeding time (p = 0.002). More head than tail manipulation occurred in the experimental group (p = 0.03). The interactive tower as the only measure was not appropriate to reduce tail biting sufficiently in pigs with intact tails on a conventional fattening farm. Of high priority to prevent tail biting outbreaks was the early detection of biting pigs.

The gut microbiota and microbial metabolites are associated with tail biting in pigs

Tail biting is an abnormal behaviour that causes stress, injury and pain. Given the critical role of the gut-microbiota in the development of behavioural problems in humans and animals, the aim of this study was to determine whether pigs that are biters, victims of tail biting or controls (nine matched sets of pigs) have a different microbiota composition, diversity and microbial metabolite profile. We collected faecal and blood samples from each individual for analysis. The gut microbiota composition was most different between the biter and the control pigs, with a higher relative abundance of Firmicutes in tail biter pigs than the controls. Furthermore, we detected differences in faecal and plasma short chain fatty acids (SCFA) profiles between the biter and victim pigs, suggesting physiological differences even though they are kept in the same pen. Thus, in addition to supporting an association between the gut microbiota and tail biting in pigs, this study also provides the first evidence of an association between tail biting and SCFA. Therefore, further research is needed to confirm these associations, to determine causality and to study how the SCFA profiles of an individual play a role in the development of tail biting behaviour.

Pain Management in Farm Animals: Focus on Cattle, Sheep and Pigs

Simple Summary

Pain causes behavioral, autonomic and neuroendocrine changes and is a common cause of animal welfare compromise in farm animals. These recommendations focus on cattle, sheep, and pigs, and present the implications of unmanaged pain in terms of animal welfare and ethical perspectives, and its challenges and misconceptions. We provide an overview of pain management including assessment and treatment applied to the most common husbandry procedures, and recommendations to improve animal welfare in these species.

Abstract

Pain causes behavioral, autonomic, and neuroendocrine changes and is a common cause of animal welfare compromise in farm animals. Current societal and ethical concerns demand better agricultural practices and improved welfare for food animals. These guidelines focus on cattle, sheep, and pigs, and present the implications of pain in terms of animal welfare and ethical perspectives, and its challenges and misconceptions. We provide an overview of pain management including assessment and treatment applied to the most common husbandry procedures, and recommendations to improve animal welfare in these species. A cost-benefit analysis of pain mitigation is discussed for food animals as well as the use of pain scoring systems for pain assessment in these species. Several recommendations are provided related to husbandry practices that could mitigate pain and improve farm animal welfare. This includes pain assessment as one of the indicators of animal welfare, the use of artificial intelligence for automated methods and research, and the need for better/appropriate legislation, regulations, and recommendations for pain relief during routine and husbandry procedures.

Effect of Straw Provision in Racks on Tail Lesions, Straw Availability, and Pen Hygiene in Finishing Pigs

Unfulfilled exploratory behavior in pigs has been linked to tail biting, which causes reduced performance and welfare. Provision of straw can reduce tail biting, but large straw rations can cause poor hygiene in pens. This study examined whether provision of straw in racks, rather than on the pen floor, can enable larger straw rations without compromising hygiene. The study was conducted on a commercial farm with 458 undocked pigs in 42 pens provided with straw in racks or on the floor. Available straw and manual cleaning requirement were assessed daily, and presence of tail lesions was assessed weekly. Both treatments had a low requirement for manual cleaning (Floor: 1.7%, Rack: 1.8%). Pigs in the rack treatment had a higher incidence of lesions early in the production period, which coincided with these pigs initially not consuming straw from the rack, leading to low straw access. Late in the production period, these pigs had learned how to use the rack and had a lower incidence of lesions than pigs in the floor treatment. Delayed use of the rack may have been linked to undeveloped spatial skills in the pigs, which needs further research.

Successful Prevention of Antimicrobial Resistance in Animals-A Retrospective Country Case Study of Sweden

The misuse and overuse of antibiotics have resulted in an alarmingly high prevalence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in human and animal bacteria. European monitoring programmes show that AMR occurrence in food animals is lower in Sweden than in most other EU Member States and that the use of antibiotics for animals is among the lowest in Europe. In this retrospective country case study, we analysed published documents to identify factors contributing to this favourable situation. A fundamental factor identified was early insight into and sustained awareness of the risks of AMR and the need for the prudent use of antibiotics. Early and continuous access to data on antibiotic use and AMR made it possible to focus activities on areas of concern. Another factor identified was the long-term control and eradication of infectious animal diseases, including coordinated activities against endemic diseases, which reduced the need to use antibiotics. Structures and strategies for that purpose established at the national level have since proven useful in counteracting AMR as an integral part of disease prevention and control, guided by a "prevention is better than cure" approach. A third factor identified was consensus among stakeholders on the need to address AMR and their cooperation in the design and implementation of measures.

On-Farm Welfare Assessment Protocol for Suckling Piglets: A Pilot Study

Piglets experience welfare issues during the nursery phase. This pilot study aimed to test a protocol for identifying the main welfare issues in suckling piglets and to investigate relationships among animal-based indicators and management conditions. Litters (n = 134), composed of undocked and tail-docked piglets, were assessed at two farms. After birth, observations were made at the age of 7 days and 20 days. At each observation, housing conditions (HCs) were measured, and 13 animal-based indicators, modified from Welfare Quality, Classyfarm, Assurewel and others introduced ex novo, were recorded. A generalized linear mixed model was used, considering animal-based indicators as dependent variables and farm, piglets' age, tail docking and HCs as independent variables. The main welfare issues were lesions of the limb (32.6%) and the front area of the body (22.8%), a poor body condition score (BCS) (16.1%), ear lesions (15.5%), and tail lesions (9.7%). Negative social behaviour (e.g., fighting and biting) represented 7.0% of the active behaviour, with tail biting observed in 8.7% of the piglets. While lesions on the front areas of the body were mostly associated with the farm, tail lesions, low BCS, tear staining, and diarrhoea were associated with light and nest temperature (p < 0.05). In particular, tail biting increased with scarce light (p = 0.007). Tail docking did not influence any animal-based indicator except for tear staining which was higher in the tail-docked as compared to the undocked piglets (p = 0.05), increasing awareness on this practice as a source of negative emotion in piglets. The protocol tested may be a promising tool for assessing on-farm piglets' welfare.

Antimicrobial use on Italian Pig Farms and its Relationship with Husbandry Practices

The analysis of antimicrobial use (AMU) data in livestock allows for the identification of risk factors for AMU, thereby favoring the application of responsible AMU policies on-farm. Herewith, AMU in 36 finishing pig farms in northern Italy from 2015-2017 was expressed as defined daily doses for Italian pigs (DDDita) per population correction unit (DDDita/100kg). A retrospective analysis was then conducted to determine the effects of several husbandry practices on AMU. Overall, AMU ranged between 12 DDDita/100kg in 2015 and 8 DDDita/100kg in 2017, showing no significant trends, due to the large variability in AMU between farms. However, a 66% AMU reduction was observed in 19 farms during 2015-2017. Farm size, number of farm workers, air quality, average pig mortality, and presence of undocked pigs on the farm had no significant effects on AMU. Rather, welfare-friendly farms had 38% lower AMU levels (p < 0.05). In conclusion, animal welfare management seems to be relatively more important than farm structure and other managerial characteristics as drivers of AMU in finishing pig farms.