DENMARK

Denmark: Seven new initiatives to improve animal welfare in pigs

Pork

The Danish pig industry is now launching a plan to significantly improve animal welfare in the coming years.

Posted on Mar 19 ,07:10

"Animal welfare is not something we are done with. It is an area we must constantly improve, and that is why we are now taking another step in the right direction.

This is what HC Gæmelke, chairman of the Danish Agriculture & Food Sector for Pigs, said. Together with the rest of the pig industry, he has launched seven new initiatives to strengthen animal welfare in pig production.

"We are proud of the development that has taken place in Danish stables over the past 25 years, but we are also very aware that society expects more from us, and we also expect the same from ourselves. An essential place to focus is on training employees, which is absolutely central when it comes to creating good conditions for our pigs,’’ said HC Gæmelke.

If the industry has its way, all herds will in future have a certified animal welfare manager who, through training, testing and ongoing upskilling, will be responsible for ensuring a professional boost to animal welfare in the stables. The goal is to create a more uniform and professional approach to daily routines, observations and handling of animals, and to align animal welfare with the working environment and safety.

At the same time, the industry is initiating work that will make it possible to stop surgical castration completely from January 1, 2030, provided that the market follows suit. Today, castration is carried out under local anesthesia and pain relief, but the pig industry wants to phase out the procedure at a responsible pace, where both animal welfare, quality and sales opportunities are taken into account.

"We want to move away from surgical castration, but it must be done in a way where we can both stand up for animal welfare and for the quality of the product that ends up with consumers. That's why we're getting started now, so we can get the necessary knowledge, the right solutions and a market that can keep up," said HC Gæmelke.

Facts about the initiatives

The industry has presented a total of seven concrete initiatives to improve animal welfare in Danish pig farms:

1. Establishment of an animal welfare task force

We see strengthened cooperation and a new approach from the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration as an important means of increasing the well-being of pigs. Specifically, we propose a task force between the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration and our three organizations to strengthen control, uniformity and learning. In the task force, we will work to: 

• More controls and closer cooperation. We propose more controls and stronger cooperation with the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration. We want transparency and have nothing against controls.  
• Uniform case processing and clear framework. Uniform case processing creates legal certainty, strengthens trust between authorities and farmers and benefits animal welfare. At the same time, unnecessary bureaucracy must be reduced so that farmers' time can be spent in the barn. 
• Advice from the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration should ensure ongoing development in the stables. Control should not only be about sanctions. Therefore, we propose a system where the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration advises, as the Danish Working Environment Authority does. In this way, the experiences can be translated into concrete learning and development in the stable. 

2. Ambitious expansion of our whole tails goal

The goal is 1 million pigs in 2026, 3 million in 2027 and 4–6 million in 2028. This requires investments, new knowledge and close cooperation with the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration. Without the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration it will be difficult to succeed, but we are ready to do our part.  

3. Requirements for straw, hay or wrap as rooting and employment material

All barns built after 2015 must have straw, hay or wrap as bedding and occupation material. The vast majority of farmers already use it today and in the future all pigs must have access to it. 

4. Work to phase out surgical castration by 2030 is underway

We have an ambition to phase out surgical castration from January 1, 2030. Today, the procedure is performed with local anesthesia and pain relief, but the goal is to stop it completely. This requires that the markets can reduce the Danish pig, and therefore we are now entering into a dialogue about a responsible transition. 

5. Sow survival must be improved

The development in sow survival in recent years has not been satisfactory. Therefore, we are committed to raising the average sow survival rate and documenting progress year by year. 

6. Certified animal welfare officer in all herds

All herds must have a certified animal welfare manager who has passed training and testing. This elevates animal welfare to management level. 

7. Strengthening a common animal welfare culture in the industry

Culture is crucial when it comes to taking responsibility, learning and improving efforts. Openness and professional pride are essential if we are to raise the bar further. We want to strengthen a culture where we are constantly working to improve and where we dare to talk about what can be done better.  

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