Reducing the number of tail-docked piglets in Denmark Grange, Ireland 4.-6. October 2016 Dorte Schrøder-Petersen / Danish Veterinary and Food Administration / Titel på præsentation

Danish pig production in numbers (2015)* Approximately 31 mio. pigs produced (3.769 herds) Aproximately 19 mio. pigs slaugthered in Denmark Approximately 12 mio. piglets exported Approximately 3 % of all slaughtered pigs in Denmark are not allowed to be tail-docked because they are special labelled pigs (e.g. organic, “Antonius” etc.). *Danish Agriculture & Food Counsil 18-11-19

Regulation Implementation of Directive 2008/120/EC into national legislation National Executive order goes beyond the directive: Maximum ½ of the tail is allowed to be docked i DK 1/3 or 1/2 the floor must be solid, drained or a combination A showersystem for all pigs above 20 kg. 18-11-19

Govermental actions to improve the productivity and welfare of pigs with the aim of reducing tail docking Regular meetings with stakeholders e.g. discussing how to use manipulative materials correctly Participate in the annual national pig congress – share information and talk to farmers Guidelines for how to use manipulative materials and avoid tail biting 18-11-19

National Pig action plan Higher survival rates among piglets and sows All sows should be loose in farrowing pen Ending castration of piglets without anesthetics Reducing the number of tail docked piglets Strengthened efforts against gastric ulcers Animal welfare to be included in innovation of future pig stable systems. More options and information for consumers More education in animal welfare Pig welfare improvements internationally

National Pig action plan One goal is to reduce the need for tail docking by introducing: Inspection welfare campaign Project: Intact tails Project: StraWell Project: Stable design to reduce the risk of tail biting Animal welfare label Position paper “4-ländertreffen”: working group on animal welfare in pigs

National Pig action plan One goal is to reduce the need for tail docking by introducing: Inspection welfare campaign Project: Intact tails Project: StraWell Project: Stable design to reduce the risk of tail biting Animal welfare label Position paper “4-ländertreffen”: working group on animal welfare in pigs

Inspection welfare campaign   In 2014 DVFA performed an inspection welfare campaign to verify compliance with the rules on adequate supply of rooting and enrichment material Inspections were unannounced Inspections were carried out in 200 randomly selected herds across Denmark with weaner and slaughter pigs Information regarding the campaign was provided together with The Danish Agriculture & Food Counsil and The Danish Veterinary Association

National Pig action plan One goal is to reduce the need for tail docking by introducing: Inspection welfare campaign Project: Intact tails Project: StraWell Project: Stable design to reduce the risk of tail biting Animal welfare label Position paper “4-ländertreffen”: working group on animal welfare in pigs

Animal Welfare label The aim of the label is to give the consumers more opportunities to choose products with better animal welfare The label is the result of a succesful collaboration between the ministry and Animal Welfare Organisations (DOSO), Danish Agriculture & Food Counsil, meat industry, retailers and farmers Products from the label will be available in the supermarkets from summer 2017 18-11-19

Animal welfare label Free-range sows, curly tail (without docking or biting), more space and allocation of straw, max 8 hours of transportation (basic requirement) Same basic requirements + demand for at least 30% more space Same basic requirement + demands for a even more space, an outdoor area and straw as bedding 18-11-19

Hvordan modtages tanken om et statsligt dyrevelfærdsmærke? Hele 80% er positivt indstillede over for tanken om et statsligt dyrevelfærdsmærke. 80% Især kvinder forholder sig meget positivt til tanken om et statsligt dyrevelfærdsmærke. Hele 42% svarer ‘meget positiv’ – modsat 26% blandt mændene. GOD DYREVELFÆRD Kilde TNS Gallup for Landbrug & Fødevarer, april 2016. Base 1030 respondenter. Spørgsmål: Er du overvejende positiv eller negativ over for et statsligt dyrevelfærdsmærke?

National Pig action plan One goal is to reduce the need for tail docking by introducing: Inspection welfare campaign Project: Intact tails Project: StraWell Project: Stable design to reduce the risk of tail biting Animal welfare label Position paper “4-ländertreffen”: working group on animal welfare in pigs

Position paper The result of the Vught decleration (2014). Signed by ministers from Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark and Sweden Aim: Opening of directive 2008/120/EF e.g. to change the responsibility for tail-docking pigs to also include the farmer who buys tail-docked pigs 18-11-19

National Pig action plan One goal is to reduce the need for tail docking by introducing: Inspection welfare campaign Project: Intact tails Project: StraWell Project: Stable design to reduce the risk of tail biting Animal welfare label Position paper “4-ländertreffen”: working group on animal welfare in pigs

“4-ländertreffen”: working group on animal welfare in pigs Participants from Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia, the Netherlands and Denmark Topics: How to keep pigs with intact tails How inspections are performed in the 3 countries/Länderen How to implement recommendation 2016/336 Uptil now two meetings: Copenhagen, October 2015 Hannover, June 2016 Next meating in Düsseldorf late 2016 18-11-19