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Preliminary assessment of finishing pig welfare using animal-based measurements

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 January 2023

HR Whay ,
C Leeb ,
DCJ Main ,
LE Green  and
AJF Webster
HR Whay*
Affiliation:
University of Bristol, Department of Clinical Veterinary Science, Langford, Bristol, UK
C Leeb
Affiliation:
University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Austria
DCJ Main
Affiliation:
University of Bristol, Department of Clinical Veterinary Science, Langford, Bristol, UK
LE Green
Affiliation:
University of Warwick, Department of Biological Sciences, Coventry, UK
AJF Webster
Affiliation:
University of Bristol, Department of Clinical Veterinary Science, Langford, Bristol, UK
*
* Contact for correspondence and requests for reprints: Bec.Whay@bristol.ac.uk
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Abstract

A preliminary investigation was undertaken to evaluate a series of animal-based welfare measures for the assessment of finishing pigs in units that were members of the RSPCA Freedom Food farm assurance scheme. A total of 20 finishing pig units were visited in the summer of 2002 and 14 of these were revisited in late winter 2003. Behavioural observations of the pigs, both undisturbed and disturbed by the observer, were made in 128 pens containing 9,444 pigs and the physical condition of 650 individuals was examined. A range of event behaviours were observed including social interactions. Play behaviour was observed in 66% of pens during ten-minute observation periods. The prevalence of physical conditions varied greatly between units. The most prevalent skin lesion was on the flank (40.8%) however, only 4.5% of pigs had both fresh and healed flank lesions suggestive of persistent fighting.

Keywords

animal welfarebehavioural observationsfarm assurancefinishing pigsinjurieswelfare assessment
Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Welfare , Volume 16 , Issue 2: Special Issue: Proceedings of the 3rd International Workshop on the Assessment of Animal Welfare at Farm and Group Level , May 2007 , pp. 209 - 211
Copyright
© 2007 Universities Federation for Animal Welfare

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References

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