News article, 31. October 2022

New goals for animal welfare set by the pig sector

Sustainable development in food production is high on the list of current research, not least because it is an area with considerable development potential.

Photo: Danish Agriculture & Food Council

It is therefore imperative to set ambitious but realistic goals to maintain the public’s confidence in, and support for, food production.

In Denmark, a number of intermediate goals and recommendations have been adopted by some of the industry’s key players, the Danish Agriculture & Food Council, Danske Svineproducenter (Danish Pig Producers) and Danske Svineslagterier (Danish Pig Processors). The recommendations and the intermediate goals are based on openness, health, the climate, sustainability, welfare and the further training of farmers. The end goal is to achieve carbon-neutral pig production by 2050 and to achieve the world’s highest animal welfare and health standards.

The intermediate goals include new breeding targets with effect from 2023 in order to improve sow and piglet survival. Moreover, the vision is particularly focused on keeping pigs free from tail-docking for the sake of animal welfare. Indeed, by 2035, 90 per cent of Danish pigs will have intact tails. Another focus area is to increase the number of loose-housed sows in order to promote free movement and general well-being.

As for the all-important goal to reduce CO2 emissions from pig production, the intermediate goal specifies a 50 per cent reduction by 2030 with 2005 as the start year.