Editorial - Pig Welfare Hits the Headlines in Australia, NZ

In New Zealand last week, PigCare, a new pig welfare accreditation scheme, was launched. At the same time, New Zealand Pork also announced the results of the much-anticipated independent welfare audit of pig farms, which covered the competency and skill of the farmer in how they handle the pigs, the condition and behaviour of the pigs themselves and the environment in which the animals live including, feed, water, temperature, space and, on outdoor farms, shade and shelter.

New Zealand Pork's CEO said that the 115 farms that passed the audit can have their meat labelled '100% New Zealand Pork, PigCare Accredited'. Labelled meat will appear in retail and wholesale outlets from 1 December, and only farms which have passed the audit will be able to use that label.

He also explained that the audit and labelling is an important step in responding to consumer needs, adding that the public is also concerned about sow stalls. He said that the industry has committed to phasing out their use and the first step is ensuring that by the end of 2012, sows will be kept in stalls for no longer than four weeks of their pregnancy.

The use of sow stalls also hit the headlines in Australia last week, when producers were angered when it was reported that Coles supermarket was applying its ban on pig meat produced using sow stalls only to domestic product. Subsequently, Coles is reported to have clarified that its decision applies to all pig meat, whether home-produced or imported.

Also in Australia, it has been reported consumers do not understand the meaning of the expression 'bred free range' as it appears on pork product labels.

The head of Australian Pork Ltd, which carried out the market research, explained: "Consumers don't actually understand it; they think it's a type of free range; they think it is really free range.

"However, when we explain it to them, they don't feel deceived by the descriptor, so they're willing to accept it as a good system but not quite what they thought it meant."

And finally, researchers at the University of Aarhus in Denmark have uncovered clues on how stress affects the pig's meat quality at the cellular level. They have succeeded in identifying metabolites that could potentially be used as markers for slaughter stress.

Jackie Linden

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This Week's Feature Articles

Company News

Workshop on Managing Feed Price Volatility
UK - BPEX and the National Pig Association (NPA) have joined forces to hold a series of risk management workshops to help producers manage their businesses while feed prices are so volatile.

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Winners Receive Pfizer Trainee of the Year Awards
UK - For the second year running, the Pfizer Pig Trainee of the Year is awarded to a female winner while the Pfizer Poultry Trainee of the Year award goes to Scotland for the first time.

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Future of Farming at EuroTier
GERMANY - Young farmers and students will once again have a meeting place at EuroTier this year.

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EuroTier: Bringing Science to the Farm
GERMANY - The International Animal Health Event will be held during the EuroTier during the evening of 18 November 2010.

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EuroTier: Implications of EU Legislation on Sow Housing
GERMANY - At the coming EuroTier show in Hanover, DLG and BFL are organising a special show called 'Sow well-being in group housing.'

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Global Pig Industry News

United Kingdom

 » Low Stress is Key to Optimum Breeding Performance
 » NADIS BPEX Commentary – October 2010
 » Research Will Help Farmers Reduce GHG Emissions
 » NFU: Livestock Bill is Admirable but Flawed
 » Every Graph Paints a Bleak Picture
 » UK Signs Deal to Export Breeding Pigs to China

United States

 » Weekly Outlook: Are Higher Corn Prices Needed?
 » New Biofilter will Reduce Odour and Save Money
 » CME: ASF in Russia; Canadian Hog Inventory
 » OSU to Hold 2nd Annual Animal Welfare Symposium
 » Revised Directive on Recall of Meat, Poultry Products
 » Pork Checkoff Supports Return of McRib Nationwide
 » New Proposal from Ethanol Industry Concerns AMI
 » CME: Feed Market to Start Focusing on Demand
 » Producers Back Pekin Pork Processing Plant
 » CME - Rise in Lean Hog Futures
 » US Finally Close to the Fall Low in Prices?

European Union

 » EU Pig Prices: Basic Mood is Positive
 » No Environmental Impact of Zn, Cu Used in Nutrition
 » EU Releases Cereal Intervention Stocks
 » Too Much EU Legislation Will Hit Productivity
 » EFSA Shares Progress on Work on Emerging Risks

Canada

 » Surge in Marketings Cause Live Hog Price Declines
 » Ergot a Serious Problem in Feed This Year
 » Strong Local Leadership Key to Eliminating PRRS
 » Western Barley Production Projected to Fall
 » Research Shines Light on Pigs' Secrets
 » All-Peril Mortality Insurance Under Development
 » Producers Advised to Monitor Herd Performance
 » Pork Commentary: Bullish US/Canadian Inventory Report

Taiwan

 » DDGS Feed Formulation Workshops in Taiwan

Australia

 » New Welfare Regulations for WA Pig Industry
 » Forces Joined to Bring Home the Bacon
 » Pork CRC: Testing Time for Stockfeed
 » Consumers Confused over 'Free-Range Pork' Label
 » Coles Widens Ban on Pork from Sow Stall Piggeries

India

 » Developing Sorghum Crop Varieties Feed India

Denmark

 » Carsten Jakobsen Leaves Tulip Ltd and DC Group
 » How Stress Affects Pig Meat Quality

General

 » NFUS Attacks Commission Over Mercosur Talks

Netherlands

 » New Name in Feed Additives - Animine

China

 » PCV Vaccine Developed in Henan

Chad

 » Another Outbreak of ASF in Chad

Viet Nam

 » Compensation for Farmers of PRRS-Infected Pigs

New Zealand

 » Welfare Accreditation Scheme Launched for NZ Pigs
 » Pork Industry: Factory Farming Fund Unnecessary

Malaysia

 » Perak Has More Than Enough Pork

Philippines

 » Thai Food Firm Eyes Investment in Philippines

Ireland

 » Alltech Helps Young Scientists to Succeed

Russian Federation

 » Cherkizovo Completes Acquisition of Pork Plants

That's all for this week!

Ed.