It believes live import of piglets poses a high threat to their welfare. Animals transported on long journeys from abroad are likely to suffer from hunger, thirst, exhaustion and overcrowding. They suffer from motion sickness and are often fasted before the journey as a consequence.

Phil Brooke, welfare development manager for Compassion in World Farming, said, "Live imports of recently weaned piglets mean long journeys with poor welfare. We may be rearing animals which have been bred using methods which have been outlawed in Britain on welfare grounds."

"British pig farmers are right to want to ban the cruel import of piglets from the continent to prevent the spread of diseases like MRSA, just as the Dutch farmers were right to stop importing calves from Britain to keep out tuberculosis. Long-distance transport causes avoidable suffering, especially for such young animals. Risking the spread of disease through live imports or exports is crazy."