Factcheck request on Pig cages.

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Factcheck request on Pig cages.

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Hairyloon

Joined: 20 Nov 2008
Posts: 15425
Location: Today I are mostly being in Yorkshire.

Posted: Tue Mar 06, 18 12:43 am Post subject: Factcheck request on Pig cages.
There is a petition doing the rounds calling for a ban on pig cages. I would expect them to already be banned in the UK, if not the EU, but I am finding a lot of my expectations getting let down these days. What's the word from those who know?

gregotyn

Joined: 24 Jun 2010
Posts: 2201
Location: Llanfyllin area

Posted: Thu Mar 08, 18 3:16 pm Post subject:

I thought pig cages went out years ago in this country. Pigs have to have toys to play with if they are housed full time and they must have bedding and a separate dunging area as I understand it. Straw acts as toys and bedding, again, as I understand it. I regret to say that when I was a pigman nothing like those rules existed. An insulated bedding area of concrete and a separate slatted dung passage, food through a raised feed passage was dropped into the trough twice daily. Water supplied via a water bowl. Not the same in the wet feed house where there was no water plumbed in, all they got was on their food. and these wet feed pigs were only fed once on Sunday, the rest of the week was twice a day. Things have improved for pigs since I was a pigman!!

Hairyloon

Joined: 20 Nov 2008
Posts: 15425
Location: Today I are mostly being in Yorkshire.

Posted: Mon Mar 12, 18 10:25 am Post subject:

gregotyn wrote:

I thought pig cages went out years ago in this country.

I would certainly hope so. Do we know owt about elsewhere?

Tavascarow

Joined: 06 Aug 2006
Posts: 8407
Location: South Cornwall

Posted: Mon Mar 12, 18 11:24 am Post subject:
Are you talking about farrowing crates? AFAIK they still get used.

Nick

Joined: 02 Nov 2004
Posts: 34535
Location: Hereford

Posted: Mon Mar 12, 18 3:19 pm Post subject:
Sow crates were banned in the UK in 1999. Farrowing crates are still in use. https://www.pig-world.co.uk/news/highlighting-the-differences-how-uk-welfare-standards-compare-with-our-competitors.html Some online petitions have merit, some have less. I suspect one that is asking 'All governments' to do something isn't going to be massively successful.

gregotyn

Joined: 24 Jun 2010
Posts: 2201
Location: Llanfyllin area

Posted: Tue Mar 13, 18 3:32 pm Post subject:

Farrowing crates save piglets' lives, better than Solari type farrowing pens. I have used both, but together they are better for the early life of the piglet to be born in a farrowing crate, as piglets are so vulnerable from birth to 2 weeks, then a Solari farrowing pen used till weaning, where there is no sow restriction, but side rails keep the piglets out of the way of the sow's feet and if she decides to lay down against the wall, when crushing would be inevitable. A friend who had a small pig unit had crates for farrowing to weaning at 3 weeks then the piglets went into cages and fed heavy duty food; the sow then went from her farrowing crate to a sow tether and got back into pig asap. with the process starting again. This was all the rage when I was a pigman in the 1960's. For the welfare of the pig thank goodness all has changed. A sow's life was just one of pregnancy and milking, with very little interest available, but for some bars and food to chew on. All was usually indoors with no outlook. Most sows mustered 3 litters and some as many as 4, but the mundane monotony. Fattening stock today is housed often but there has to be toys usually in the form of straw, or a hanging chain, or whatever they can't destroy and swallow which will cause harm.

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