project - Research and innovation
Improving pig health and welfare in organic farms by preventing or rapidly detecting diseases or welfare problems
Improving pig health and welfare in organic farms by preventing or rapidly detecting diseases or welfare problems
Objectives
NA
Objectives
Organic pig producers face the challenge to produce high quality meat at a moderate price based on high animal health and welfare standards. This animal-friendly and efficient pig production requires the consistent use of preventive measures in husbandry, hygiene, feeding and management to avoid major diseases, injuries and any type of stress. This means that successful pig production depends on the farmer’s care and attention to detect diseases, combined with good training on the topic. (see additional information field)
Activities
NA
Activities
(see additional information field)
Additional information
Researchers, advisors and pig farmers have compiled a handbook for organic pig farmers, based on the most effective strategies tested in the ProPig project. The recommendations seek to guide producers in developing pig management, housing, and feeding towards optimal animal health and welfare, for both outdoor and indoor pigs. The booklet is available in English, French, German and Czech.
The objective is to help farmers in their daily work to recognise potential symptoms early (e.g pigs lying in a heap indicates that the temperature in the barn is too low) or to increase their pigs’ welfare with simple measures (e.g. showers in hot days). Most of the tips are based on visual inspections of the pigs, or installations like drinkers or nests. The handbook is divided into 5 chapters (fertility, respiratory problems, diarrhoea, injuries and other health/welfare issues), and a simple checklist describes the problems and possible countermeasures. Actions are classified as highly important, specific for outdoor, suggestions for long term, first aids or issues that need special attention.
In any case, this material is guide only, focussed on prevention or early detection of problems in the farm, therefore it must not replace vet’s diagnosis and treatment.
https://ec.europa.eu/eip/agriculture/en/news/improving-health-and-welfa…
Project details
- Main funding source
- Horizon 2020 (EU Research and Innovation Programme)
- Project acronym
- ProPIG
- Agricultural sectors
- Pigs
