PARTNER FEATURE ▶▶▶
Pig welfare calls for broad approach
Welfare issues in pig production, like tail biting and aggression, are increasingly important in the eyes of retailers, consumers and government entities. Adverse behaviour is a multifactorial problem, and proper on-farm diagnostics are needed before a solution can be proposed.
BY ROSALIE VAN EMOUS, LUCIE OUINE, STERRE VAN ZAALEN, GILLES CABY, MAUD LE GALL AND GRAZIANO MANTOVANI, CARGILL
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dvancements in pig breeding programmes and modern infrastructure in farming have boosted livestock performance. However, this has created an exponential increase in the number of possible
factors that need to be considered to efficiently manage the farm. Social changes (such as regrouping or mixing of pigs), cli- mate, housing and the environment will all affect behaviour in pig herds leading, for example, to tail biting. Research has identified multiple potential causes of tail biting and aggres- sion in pigs. If these are added together, it is clear that there are many opportunities for abnormal behaviour in pigs. In a study carried out by Cargill where four farms were moni- tored, it was found that tail biting and aggression do not necessarily occur simultaneously (see Figure 1). Farm A, for example, experienced high risk of tail biting until the mid-fat- tening period (see Figure 1), while at the same time the level
of aggression was the lowest among the four farms. Aggres- sion also followed different patterns on different farms as pigs moved along the production phase. Managing behaviour and aggression involves many factors, including diet, management and environment. Any weak links must be avoided, and the pigs’ requirements must be met to prevent abnormal behaviour. If we focus on just one weak point we will not solve the problem.
Assessing the risk To help pig producers manage this complex problem, Cargill has developed a risk assessment tool (RAT). This tool allows the main triggers of abnormal pig behaviour to be identified, enabling a farm-specific programme to be developed that aims to reduce the negative impacts on animal welfare. The RAT is used to score a range of risk factors, weighted to the life stage of the pigs being scored. For example, pre-weaning management factors would be very relevant in assessing aggression in piglets, but it would have a lower im- pact, so lower weighting, in grower-finisher pigs. In total 29 risk factors are scored, from standard farm audit criteria (air quality, stocking density, water and feed quality, etc.) to more specific criteria (enrichment materials, tail posi- tion, genetics, overall health, management, etc.). RAT is easy to use on farms, and it gives farmers a precise pre- diction of the risks of abnormal behaviour in their own units. It enables advisers to offer specific advice on improving as- pects of management and nutrition. With this approach, both farmer and adviser can also monitor progress over time.
Figure 1 - Development of the risk of the onset of tail biting (left) and aggression (right) over time by farms.
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▶PIG PROGRESS | Volume 36, No. 10, 2020
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