Does intensive pig farming have a viable future? - Concerns over
housing and welfare
J.L. Barnett, P.H. Hemsworth, G.M. Cronin
Victorian Institute of Animal Science, Department of Agriculture, 475
Mickleham Road, Attwood, Victoria, Australia, 3049
Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production. 1993,
53: 219-222
Pig housing has recently been under scrutiny, resulting in some
recommendations for adult pigs that may involve less individual housing.
Such recommendations have obvious implications for the future viability of
the pig industry. Two questions that arise are, 1) are the recommendations
scientifically valid and 2) what is the likelihood of developing alternative
systems? In relation to the first question, a number of experiments have been
conducted on the welfare of pigs in individual and group housing systems.
The overall conclusion from this research is that it is the design of the
housing system that is important for welfare and not the system per
se. In relation to the second question, an alternative system has been
developed in The Netherlands that involves indoor group housing for
pregnant and lactating pigs. Part of the system is probably directly applicable
to dry sow housing in Australia and New Zealand, while the farrowing and
lactation components of the system require considerable development before
it is applicable to commercial environments. While there is no doubt the
industry will have to change and adopt either modifications of current
housing designs or totally new housing systems, past experience would
indicate pig producers are fairly innovative and are very prepared to adopt
new ideas that have been shown to work. It is the scientist's role to make
certain that recommendations are scientifically valid and that producers are
provided with the options to choose from to make their farm viable.
Keywords: NZSAPAB;
Pig; welfare; stress; housing.
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Last Updated 25-01-1997
