Evaluating a Pigs Welfare Status SAPPO Training Course

Identify the pigs messages Listen: for sounds that express contentment or distress Smell: go down to pig level to identify unpleasant smells Feel: draughts, air and floor temperatures Taste: the feed for rancidity, mould, excess salt Look: at the pig and its surroundings

Do a thorough evaluation

Sounds Pigs are vocal and use sounds to express contentment, fear and distress – learn to distinguish between happy grunts, frightened or angry squeals, groans of pain Other sounds of concern: coughing, sneezing, wheezing or rasping breath, scratching, grinding teeth

Smells Distinguish between the normal smell of pigs, especially when housed indoors, and unacceptable odours: – Ammonia – Rotting odours related to rotting feed, especially swill, infrequent removal of solid waste, dead rats or piglets, dirty drains

Rotting feed Fruit is good for pigs, but not in this condition

Temperature and air movement Pig sties should be well ventilated but not draughty – Make sure that drain outlets do not provide a source of draughts for small piglets Pigs should be neither too hot nor too cold – Young piglets need a warm environment – Older pigs are happiest in cool but not cold conditions – Good air circulation helps to keep sties cool

Temperature Keep piglets warm but dont overheat their mother

Feed Pigs are famous for being willing to eat anything if hungry enough, but, like us, they prefer it if it smells and tastes good Whatever is fed, it should be fresh and wholesome Feeders should be cleaned daily to prevent accumulation of stale, mouldy feed in corners With home mixes, beware of excess salt, it can kill pigs; if it tastes too salty to you, it is dangerous; always make sure pigs have access to clean fresh drinking water to dilute salt in feed

Pigs enjoying fresh green feed

Look at the pig Contented, comfortable pigs appear calm When they are awake they should be interested in their surroundings and especially in their food When asleep they should be peaceful, although (like us) they may twitch and snore They should be in good condition, well grown for their age, with clean, healthy skins and coats Piglets should suckle contentedly from a gently grunting mother

Calm both sleeping and waking

Contented suckling

Look at behaviour Abnormal behaviour points to a problem: – Fighting in groups that are not newly mixed can indicate overcrowding or not enough food for all – Vices such as ear/tail-biting are often linked to poor diet – Head-banging or continuous biting the bars may happen in confined pigs that cannot express normal behaviour – Prolonged scratching indicates mange – Water deprivation can result in attempting to drink the urine of other pigs – Arching the back and grinding teeth indicates pain – Huddling together in warm weather indicates fever

Prolonged scratching

Look at the surroundings Do the pigs have enough space to behave normally? Is the level of hygiene acceptable? Is there enough shade/shelter for all the pigs? Is the area where the pigs rest dry? Are there sharp projections to hurt pigs? Are there any signs of disease like diarrhoea, vomit or worms?

Too little shade for all the pigs

Corrective action Any indication that something may be wrong must be investigated and corrected The action needed may be very simple or it may require a radical change in management Making sure that pigs are healthy and contented is the best investment any pig producer can make in his/her enterprise

Any questions? Wont anybody help us please?