SCHOOL EDITION 22 MARCH 2023 - Flipbook - Page 9
NEWS
Continual improvements
being made to pig welfare
A
HDB’s Real Welfare
scheme is unique
in the type of data
it collects and the
degree to which it
represents practices across
the industry. Last year’s data
shows that the vast majority
of pig farms continue to have
good levels of welfare and
the sector as a whole shows
continuous improvements are
being made.
More than 13 million pigs
have been individually
assessed by specially trained
vets to provide this credible
and benchmarked level of
welfare; this has created the
biggest database of its kind
anywhere in the world.
The data, published in a new
report, show that, on average,
all the welfare outcomes
measured, bar one, have
shown improvements since
the scheme was introduced
in 2013.
The data also conrm a
slightly increasing trend
for the enrichment use
and that where welfare
issues are found during an
assessment they are localised
and not uniform across a
farm. The welfare measure
with the lowest recorded
prevalence was pigs requiring
hospitalisation (0.05 per cent
of pigs), and the measure with
the highest prevalence was
severe body marks (0.18 per
cent of pigs).
Dr Mandy Nevel, pictured
above, AHDB Head of Animal
Health and Welfare, said:
“This assessment of Real
Welfare outcomes shows
the scheme provides a
positive impact, especially
in providing good support to
decrease lameness, severe
REPORT: Data published in
the Rural Welfare update report
shows improvements in pig
welfare outcomes.
NSA Scotsheep
postponed to
June 2022
D
UE to the continued uncertainties and
restrictions caused by Covid-19, the
National Sheep Association’s Scottish
executive committee has taken the regrettable
decision to postpone NSA Scotsheep, which was
due to take place on Thursday, May 27.
Following a Zoom meeting with the NSA
Scotsheep organising committee, the event has
now been rescheduled for a further year and
will take place on Wednesday, June 1, 2022, by
kind permission of Robert and Hazel McNee,
Over Finlarg, Tealing, Dundee.
Organisers of the event believe that restrictions
on social distancing and mass gatherings will be
in force for the foreseeable future and so have
decided to focus their efforts on planning a
rescheduled event for next summer.
Jennifer Craig, NSA Scotland chair, said: “We
are really disappointed to have to postpone
NSA Scotsheep until next June, as plans for
the event were well advanced. With no signs
of restrictions easing and cases still rising, our
main priority is the health and wellbeing of our
visitors, exhibitors and those involved in the
running of the event.
“Postponing NSA Scotsheep will have a severe
impact on NSA Scotland nancially, however
through the continued support of our many
sponsors and trade exhibitors we hope to
deliver a full-scale event for the sheep industry
in Scotland and further aeld.”
body marks and improve
hospital pen management.
“It also continues to
build on the partnership
between farmers and
veterinary surgeons,
providing an excellent basis
from which to drive, and
evidence the British pig
industry’s commitment and
achievements in continuous
improvement in pig welfare.”
Angela Christison, AHDB
Sector Strategy Director
(Pork), added: “These results
show by acting in unison
to continue to drive up
standards, we can make real
progress across the board.”
Real Welfare assessments
are a requirement of Red
Tractor and Quality Standard
Meat farm assurance
schemes.
Through the scheme,
vets routinely assess four
welfare measures on pigs
over 50kg. The fth measure,
environmental enrichment,
is optional, although the type
of enrichment found in pens
must be recorded.
The five welfare measures are:
n Hospital pigs (pigs that
would benet from removal to
a hospital pen);
n Lameness;
n Tail damage;
n Body marks; and
n Environmental enrichment
use.
n For a more in-depth look
at the latest data, AHDB
has published an update
report for 2018-20 which can
be downloaded from the
AHDB website: ahdb.org.
uk/knowledge-library/realwelfare
FARMWEEK
JANUARY 28 2021
9
£2.2m Covid-19
financial support
for pig sector
AGRICULTURE Minister Edwin Poots has announced
a nancial support package worth up to £2.2 million
for pig farmers who were impacted by the temporary
closure of Cranswick Country Foods in August 2020.
The Minister said: “I met with representatives of the
pig producers supplying this processing plant and
recognised the nancial impact that the temporary
closure had on their business. To offset the losses
incurred by these farmers during the time it took
for pig processing to return to normal, I am pleased
to announce £2.2m support from the Covid-19 fund.
“This nancial support will address the effects of
the temporary loss of the lucrative Chinese export
market, additional penalties on overweight and
overfat pigs, and the price impact of alternative pig
marketing arrangements.”
When the scheme opens next month, eligible
farmers will be contacted and asked to complete a
simple application form to claim their payments.
Further details and explanatory information will be
published on the DAERA website at that time.
The Ulster Farmers’ Union says the support package
will provide vital support for farmers.
UFU deputy president William Irvine said: “Our
pig producers suffered signicant losses when
Cranswick Country Foods was shut down with
immediate effect following a Covid-19 breakout
among staff. Alongside the tireless efforts of our
stakeholders, the UFU lobbied immensely to gain
support for the pig sector.
“This funding will provide essential support to our
pig producers and will help sustain farm businesses.
It is expected to compensate for a large proportion of
the losses incurred by producers while the process
plant remained closed. This includes the temporary
loss of the Chinese export market, additional
penalties on overweight and overfat pigs, and the
impact on other pig market avenues.
“Producers who are eligible to apply will be
contacted by DAERA to complete an application
form to claim their payments. The UFU encourages
farmers who are contacted by DAERA to make it a
priority to ll out the necessary paperwork so they
can benet from the funding as soon as possible.”
Over 11,300 farmers and growers have already
received almost £19m to offset the losses incurred as
a result of the pandemic’s impact on the local agrifood sector last year.