Suchergebnisse

National audience ; The importance of organic pig production is very low in France compared to that of conventional pigs (less than 1% of pork production) but increases regularly. Organic pig production is organised by the legislation that imposes numerous constraints in terms of housing, feeding and husbandry. These constraints are likely to influence performances, health and welfare of the pigs as well as the quality of carcasses and meat. Existing knowledge suggests a high diversity in the types of organic pig farms and hence on the consequences of the organic farming on pig welfare and health as well as on the quality of the products. Overall, organic farming offers good opportunities to respond to consumers' wishes regarding animal welfare and quality of food products provided that pig producers pay attention to animal health, nutritional balance of the diets, especially for piglets and lactating sows, and quality of carcasses. ; La production de porcs biologiques en France est marginale par rapport à celle des porcs conventionnels (moins de 1% en tonnage) mais en progression constante. La production porcine biologique est fortement encadrée par la réglementation qui impose des contraintes fortes en termes de logement, d'alimentation et de conduite d'élevage. Ces contraintes peuvent influencer les performances, la santé et le bien-être des animaux ainsi que la qualité des carcasses et des viandes. Les données existantes suggèrent une grande diversité des types d'élevages de porcs biologiques et in fine des conséquences du mode de production biologique sur le bien-être et la santé des animaux vivants ainsi que sur la qualité des produits. D'une façon générale, le mode de production biologique offre des atouts pour répondre à l'attente des consommateurs concernant le bien-être animal et la qualité des produits, mais les éleveurs doivent être vigilants en matière de santé des animaux, d'équilibre des rations alimentaires, surtout pour les porcelets et les truies allaitantes, et de qualité des carcasses.

La production de porcs biologiques en France est marginale par rapport à celle des porcs conventionnels (moins de 1% en tonnage) mais en progression constante. La production porcine biologique est fortement encadrée par la réglementation qui impose des contraintes fortes en termes de logement, d'alimentation et de conduite d'élevage. Ces contraintes peuvent influencer les performances, la santé et le bien-être des animaux ainsi que la qualité des carcasses et des viandes. Les données existantes suggèrent une grande diversité des types d'élevages de porcs biologiques et in fine des conséquences du mode de production biologique sur le bien-être et la santé des animaux vivants ainsi que sur la qualité des produits. D'une façon générale, le mode de production biologique offre des atouts pour répondre à l'attente des consommateurs concernant le bien-être animal et la qualité des produits, mais les éleveurs doivent être vigilants en matière de santé des animaux, d'équilibre des rations alimentaires, surtout pour les porcelets et les truies allaitantes, et de qualité des carcasses. ; The importance of organic pig production is very low in France compared to that of conventional pigs (less than 1% of pork production) but increases regularly. Organic pig production is organised by the legislation that imposes numerous constraints in terms of housing, feeding and husbandry. These constraints are likely to influence performances, health and welfare of the pigs as well as the quality of carcasses and meat. Existing knowledge suggests a high diversity in the types of organic pig farms and hence on the consequences of the organic farming on pig welfare and health as well as on the quality of the products. Overall, organic farming offers good opportunities to respond to consumers' wishes regarding animal welfare and quality of food products provided that pig producers pay attention to animal health, nutritional balance of the diets, especially for piglets and lactating sows, and quality of carcasses.

EAAP Annual Meeting, 2008. Session 'Piglet Castration' ; International audience ; PIGCAS (Attitudes, practices and state of the art regarding piglet castration in Europe) is to our knowledge the first project that has focused on castration practice across European countries (European Union minus Bulgaria, Malta and Romania, plus Norway and Switzerland). About 250 million pigs are slaughtered in Europe each year. Of the 125 million male pigs, approximately 20% are left entire, less than 3% are castrated with anaesthesia and the rest is castrated without anaesthesia. The study identified large variations in castration procedures, both within and between countries. In females, castration is very rare, but is practiced without anaesthesia in special breeds/production systems in some of the southern countries.

PIGCAS (Attitudes, practices and state of the art regarding piglet castration in Europe) is to our knowledge the first project that has focused on castration practice across European countries (European Union minus Bulgaria, Malta and Romania, plus Norway and Switzerland). About 250 million pigs are slaughtered in Europe each year. Of the 125 million male pigs, approximately 20% are left entire, less than 3% are castrated with anaesthesia and the rest is castrated without anaesthesia. The study identified large variations in castration procedures, both within and between countries. In females, castration is very rare, but is practiced without anaesthesia in special breeds/production systems in some of the southern countries.

Recently, the French National Institute for Agricultural Research appointed an expert committee to review the issue of pain in food-producing farm animals. To minimise pain, the authors developed a '3S' approach accounting for 'Suppress, Substitute and Soothe' by analogy with the '3Rs' approach of 'Reduction, Refinement and Replacement' applied in the context of animal experimentation. Thus, when addressing the matter of pain, the following steps and solutions could be assessed, in the light of their feasibility (technical constraints, logistics and regulations), acceptability (societal and financial aspects) and availability. The first solution is to suppress any source of pain that brings no obvious advantage to the animals or the producers, as well as sources of pain for which potential benefits are largely exceeded by the negative effects. For instance, tail docking of cattle has recently been eliminated. Genetic selection on the basis of resistance criteria (as e.g. for lameness in cattle and poultry) or reduction of undesirable traits (e.g. boar taint in pigs) may also reduce painful conditions or procedures. The second solution is to substitute a technique causing pain by another less-painful method. For example, if dehorning cattle is unavoidable, it is preferable to perform it at a very young age, cauterising the horn bud. Animal management and constraint systems should be designed to reduce the risk for injury and bruising. Lastly, in situations where pain is known to be present, because of animal management procedures such as dehorning or castration, or because of pathology, for example lameness, systemic or local pharmacological treatments should be used to soothe pain. These treatments should take into account the duration of pain, which, in the case of some management procedures or diseases, may persist for longer periods. The administration of pain medication may require the intervention of veterinarians, but exemptions exist where breeders are allowed to use local anaesthesia (e.g. castration and dehorning in Switzerland). Extension of such exemptions, national or European legislation on pain management, or the introduction of animal welfare codes by retailers into their meat products may help further developments. In addition, veterinarians and farmers should be given the necessary tools and information to take into account animal pain in their management decisions.