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The U.S. pork industry has seen many changes over the years. Throughout these changes, pork producers have kept the well-being of the pigs in their care as a priority. Production has become more specialized, the number of people producing pork has declined, the type of pig being raised is different, and new technologies are being implemented are just some of these changes. Taking good care of the animals and paying close attention to their well-being, however, is still a responsibility that is taken very seriously by pork producers. Producers recognize their personal and moral commitment to provide appropriate care to their pigs.
Options for Production
Pork production is one of the most diverse livestock industries in the United States. Pork producers have many options for how to best provide for the well-being of their pigs based on their management style, geographical location, available workforce and land availability. Pigs in the United States can be raised completely outdoors, completely indoors, or in a combination of the two. Pigs housed indoors live in controlled environments that provide optimal temperatures for the pigs year round, reduce the risk of predation, protect them from exposure to parasites and diseases and allow better control over the manure. Pigs that are housed outdoors require pasture management to maintain proper ground cover and for disease prevention. Shelters are provided for pigs to use in extreme weather.1 For indoor housed pigs, a growing topic of concern is the housing of gestating sows. Sows are housed individually in gestation stalls or in some form of group, pen housing. The majority of the sows housed in the United States are housed individually, which allows the producer to eliminate aggression and reduce injury among sows. Adult sows can often be aggressive toward each other to establish dominance or fight for possession of food and water. Alternatively, group housing allows sows to move and exercise freely as well as have unobstructed social interaction with other sows, but there tends to be more aggression and injury in this kind of housing. According to two separate scientific literature reviews2,3 neither stall nor pen housing is clearly superior to the other. The major factor affecting the welfare of the animals under either system is the level of individual care given to each animal.
Perhaps the most difficult part of pork production for any producer is caring for a pig that is ill or injured and that does not respond to treatment. When the pig does not respond to treatment and will not recover, humane euthanasia is necessary so the animal does not suffer. Since it is usually impossible or impractical for a veterinarian to be available for all euthanasia on-farm, producers often need to perform humane euthanasia on their pigs.
Consumer assurance/continuous education
Consumers today are becoming more selective about what they desire from the food products, retailers and other food outlets offer. In turn, retailers and restaurants are increasingly asking pork producers to provide credible assurance that animals raised for their markets meet standards for food safety and appropriate animal care. Animal well-being has long been a priority for the pork industry. In 1989, the Pork Quality Assurance™ (PQA™) program was created as a producer education program to increase awareness about food safety. In 2002, the Swine Welfare Assurance Program™ (SWAP™) was developed as an educational and assessment program to help producers track the well-being of the animals on their farms. In 2007, the Pork Quality Assurance Plus™ (PQA Plus™) program4 combined elements of PQA and SWAP to create a continuous improvement educational and assessment program focusing on the areas of pork safety and animal well-being. The PQA Plus program also includes on-farm audits of the assessment points to provide the credibility producers desire and consumers deserve on the important issue of animal well-being. The industry also has a Trucker Quality Assurance™ (TQA™) program. This certification program is for producers, truckers, and other animal handlers that are commonly involved with the transport of swine. The program was established in 2002 to raise awareness of how handling and transport can impact animal welfare and pork quality.5
Industry funded research
The Pork Checkoff is a producer funded organization that focuses on education, promotion, research and communication. Each year the Pork Checkoff funds research that address topics ranging from pork production and to consumer trends in purchases of pork. Research addressing swine welfare issues, such as transportation, sow housing, euthanasia and production practices has been funded since the 1990s.6
Conclusion
The pork industry works hard to maintain a high level of welfare for the swine raised across the nation. Through assurance programs, continuing education and research, the U.S. pork industry demonstrates to its customers and consumers that the well-being of pigs is a top priority.
Endnotes
1 Pork Industry Institute, Texas Tech University, http://www.depts.ttu.edu/porkindustryinstitute/farmpics/thepigs.htm
2 McGlone, J.J., et. al. 2004. Review: Compilation of the Scientific Literature Comparing Housing Systems for Gestating Sows and Gilts Using Measures of Physiology,
Behavior, Performance, and Health. The Prof. Anim. Sci.20:105-117.
3 Rhodes, R.R., et. al. 2005. A Comprehensive Review ofHousing for Pregnant Sows. JAVMA. 227:1580-1590. 4 Pork Checkoff,
http://www.pork.org/producers/PQA/PQAPlus.aspx
5 Pork Checkoff. Trucker Quality Assurance Handbook. Natl. Pork Board, Clive IA. 6 Pork Checkoff, http://www.pork.org/PorkScience/Research/animalWelfare.aspx?
CategoryId=4
Options for Production
Pork production is one of the most diverse livestock industries in the United States. Pork producers have many options for how to best provide for the well-being of their pigs based on their management style, geographical location, available workforce and land availability. Pigs in the United States can be raised completely outdoors, completely indoors, or in a combination of the two. Pigs housed indoors live in controlled environments that provide optimal temperatures for the pigs year round, reduce the risk of predation, protect them from exposure to parasites and diseases and allow better control over the manure. Pigs that are housed outdoors require pasture management to maintain proper ground cover and for disease prevention. Shelters are provided for pigs to use in extreme weather.1 For indoor housed pigs, a growing topic of concern is the housing of gestating sows. Sows are housed individually in gestation stalls or in some form of group, pen housing. The majority of the sows housed in the United States are housed individually, which allows the producer to eliminate aggression and reduce injury among sows. Adult sows can often be aggressive toward each other to establish dominance or fight for possession of food and water. Alternatively, group housing allows sows to move and exercise freely as well as have unobstructed social interaction with other sows, but there tends to be more aggression and injury in this kind of housing. According to two separate scientific literature reviews2,3 neither stall nor pen housing is clearly superior to the other. The major factor affecting the welfare of the animals under either system is the level of individual care given to each animal.
Perhaps the most difficult part of pork production for any producer is caring for a pig that is ill or injured and that does not respond to treatment. When the pig does not respond to treatment and will not recover, humane euthanasia is necessary so the animal does not suffer. Since it is usually impossible or impractical for a veterinarian to be available for all euthanasia on-farm, producers often need to perform humane euthanasia on their pigs.
Consumer assurance/continuous education
Consumers today are becoming more selective about what they desire from the food products, retailers and other food outlets offer. In turn, retailers and restaurants are increasingly asking pork producers to provide credible assurance that animals raised for their markets meet standards for food safety and appropriate animal care. Animal well-being has long been a priority for the pork industry. In 1989, the Pork Quality Assurance™ (PQA™) program was created as a producer education program to increase awareness about food safety. In 2002, the Swine Welfare Assurance Program™ (SWAP™) was developed as an educational and assessment program to help producers track the well-being of the animals on their farms. In 2007, the Pork Quality Assurance Plus™ (PQA Plus™) program4 combined elements of PQA and SWAP to create a continuous improvement educational and assessment program focusing on the areas of pork safety and animal well-being. The PQA Plus program also includes on-farm audits of the assessment points to provide the credibility producers desire and consumers deserve on the important issue of animal well-being. The industry also has a Trucker Quality Assurance™ (TQA™) program. This certification program is for producers, truckers, and other animal handlers that are commonly involved with the transport of swine. The program was established in 2002 to raise awareness of how handling and transport can impact animal welfare and pork quality.5
Industry funded research
The Pork Checkoff is a producer funded organization that focuses on education, promotion, research and communication. Each year the Pork Checkoff funds research that address topics ranging from pork production and to consumer trends in purchases of pork. Research addressing swine welfare issues, such as transportation, sow housing, euthanasia and production practices has been funded since the 1990s.6
Conclusion
The pork industry works hard to maintain a high level of welfare for the swine raised across the nation. Through assurance programs, continuing education and research, the U.S. pork industry demonstrates to its customers and consumers that the well-being of pigs is a top priority.
Endnotes
1 Pork Industry Institute, Texas Tech University, http://www.depts.ttu.edu/porkindustryinstitute/farmpics/thepigs.htm
2 McGlone, J.J., et. al. 2004. Review: Compilation of the Scientific Literature Comparing Housing Systems for Gestating Sows and Gilts Using Measures of Physiology,
Behavior, Performance, and Health. The Prof. Anim. Sci.20:105-117.
3 Rhodes, R.R., et. al. 2005. A Comprehensive Review ofHousing for Pregnant Sows. JAVMA. 227:1580-1590. 4 Pork Checkoff,
http://www.pork.org/producers/PQA/PQAPlus.aspx
5 Pork Checkoff. Trucker Quality Assurance Handbook. Natl. Pork Board, Clive IA. 6 Pork Checkoff, http://www.pork.org/PorkScience/Research/animalWelfare.aspx?
CategoryId=4
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Information provided by: National Pork Board
