Economic and Welfare Impact of Lameness in Sows in England
Thursday, September 01, 2011
In a survey of UK farms in 2007/2008, four per cent of sows were found to show signs of lameness, with half of farms having at least one lame animal. The cost per lame sow was estimated to range from £19 to £266.
Lameness in pigs is a major welfare concern and one of the most commonly reported reasons to premature culling of breeding sows, according to Katriina Willgert of the UK's Royal Veterinary College in a report made available by BPEX.
The prevalence of lameness in sows was estimated from 113 English pig breeding units in 2007 and 2008, and different risk factors associated with the occurrence of lameness were examined, followed by an assessment of the economic costs of lameness in sows.
The prevalence of lameness in sows was 4.3 per cent and at least one lame sow was observed at 50.4 per cent of the 113 farms. The culling rate of sows due to lameness (3.9 per cent) was slightly lower than the prevalence of lameness in sows.
In both indoor and outdoor sows, the presence of a prevention plan for lameness at the farm significantly affected the occurrence of lameness. Farms with higher producing sows were more likely to have a prevalence of lameness of five per cent or higher.
When only indoor sows were considered, the odds of lameness occurring at the farm increased with the number of sows in the pen.
Lameness was also more likely to occur at farms where sows were housed on solid flooring than when they were kept on slatted or partly slatted flooring.
Depending on the severity of the case, the estimated cost of an initial case of lameness could range from £19 if only treatment is required to more than £266 in more severe cases where the production level is affected and euthanasia is necessary, concluded Ms Willgert.
The author added that increased awareness of the risk factors behind lameness is essential in farm management and can be useful when designing housing areas as well as developing future prevention plans for lameness.
Further Reading
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September 2011
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