EU Pig Directive - January 2013 deadline
The new EU Pig Directive will come into effect in January 2013.
Pig farmers will be familiar with the sow stall ban implemented by the UK in 1999. The sow stall ban meets the requirements set by the EU Pig Directive, laying down the minimum standards for the protection of pigs.
Producers will need to be aware of the remaining provisions that will need to be in place by 1 January 2013. These include:
- Provisions for concrete slatted floors - maximum width of openings and minimum
slat widths (10 pigs or more) - For sows and gilts, the length of the sides of pens (10 pigs or more)
- For sows and gilts, minimum unobstructed floor area and dimensions for solid floor.
Also, the Welfare of Farmed Animals Wales Regulations 2007 introduced the provision below in full:
- The need for all sows and gilts to have permanent access to manipulable(enrichment) material. (Applies to all pig producers).
- To enable proper investigation and manipulation activities, all pigs must have permanent access to a sufficient quantity of material such as straw, hay, wood, sawdust, mushroom compost, peat or a mixture of such which does not adversely
affect the health of the animals.
Producers will need to check that both the above provisions are implemented; you can obtain advice about the specific requirements from your local Animal Health & Veterinary Laboratories Agency (AHVLA) or Assurance scheme bodies.
The welfare standards as set out in the Pig Welfare Directive form part of cross-compliance regulations.
Not only would non-compliance be a legal issue, it could also be a costly one.
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