Advances in Pig Welfare

Advances in Pig Welfare, Second Edition continues its complete coverage of the field with fully updated information and analysis of current issues in the key areas of pig welfare. It is a comprehensive review covering both recent developments and persistent welfare issues. The book has been expanded with 10 new chapters addressing the most relevant and significant issues in industry with a more global perspective.

The book is divided into four sections, starting with an introduction (Part 1) to major topics in pig welfare, such as pigs’ needs, including affective states and positive animal welfare. Part two provides an overview of production systems and reviews welfare hotspots and mitigation. Part three covers pig welfare management topics, such as pig-human interactions and precision livestock farming. Global perspectives on pig welfare, including economics, legislation, farmers attitudes and climate change, are covered in Part 4.

Written by an international team of renowned researchers in the field, the book continues to be a useful resource for practicing vets involved in welfare assessment, welfare research scientists and students, and indeed, anyone with a professional interest in the welfare of pigs.

Cover image
Title page
Table of Contents
Copyright
Contributors
Introduction
The book content
A wish for the book
References
Part One: Introduction
1: Pigs’ needs and wants
Abstract
1.1: Introduction
1.2: Needs and wants as part of animal welfare
1.3: Pigs’ needs and wants
1.4: Preferences
1.5: Meeting pigs’ needs and wants
1.6: Future perspective and conclusions
References
2: Pain in pigs: Characterisation and indicators
Abstract
2.1: Introduction
2.2: Definition of pain
2.3: Pain terminology
2.4: Anatomy and physiology of pain
2.5: Indicators of pain in pigs
2.6: Conclusions/future trends
References
3: Stress in pigs: History, assessment, and interpretation
Abstract
3.1: Introduction
3.2: Stress assessment in pigs
3.3: State-of-the-art assessment of stress in pigs
3.4: Conclusions and outlook
References
4: Affective states and cognition in pigs
Abstract
4.1: Introduction
4.2: Affective states and personality
4.3: Pig senses and cognition
4.4: Conclusions and outlook
References
5: Positive welfare: What does it add to the debate over pig welfare?
Abstract
Acknowledgments
5.1: Introduction
5.2: Origins of ‘positive animal welfare’
5.3: Measuring positive welfare in pigs through behavioural indicators
5.4: Positive pig welfare in the real world
5.5: What does positive welfare add to the debate over pig welfare?
5.6: Conclusions and future developments
References
Part Two: Pig welfare hotspots and mitigation
6: Overview of commercial pig production systems and their main welfare challenges
Abstract
6.1: Introduction
6.2: Production cycle of pigs
6.3: Housing systems and EU welfare regulation
6.4: Welfare challenges and possible improvements
6.5: Conclusions and future development
References
7: Mitigating hunger in pregnant sows
Abstract
Acknowledgements
7.1: Development of dry sow feeding and housing
7.2: Concern over dry sow welfare
7.3: Reducing hunger/improving satiety in dry sows by changing the diet to include more dietary fibre
7.4: Different types of dietary fibre
7.5: Behavioural and physiological changes seen in sows given high-fibre diets
7.6: Number and timing of meals
7.7: Do dietary fibres and foraging substrate improve welfare in dry sows?
7.8: Fibre in typical industry diets
7.9: Environmental impacts of fibre diets for sows
7.10: Future trends
7.11: Conclusions
References
8: Sow longevity
Abstract
8.1: Introduction
8.2: Definitions of sow longevity
8.3: Economics of sow longevity
8.4: Additional consequences of reduced sow longevity
8.5: Genetic and non-genetic aspects of sow longevity
8.6: Reasons why sows leave the breeding herd
8.7: Conclusions
References
9: Sow welfare in farrowing systems
Abstract
9.1: Introduction
9.2: Genetic ‘improvement’ and its implications
9.3: Biology-building interface
9.4: Biology—Management interface
9.5: Conclusions and future trends
References
10: Piglet mortality and morbidity: Inevitable or unacceptable?
Abstract
10.1: Introduction
10.2: Mortality and welfare
10.3: Mortality patterns and trends
10.4: Interventions to reduce mortality and their implications
10.5: Conclusions and future trends
References
11: Lifetime consequences of the early physical and social environment of piglets
Abstract
11.1: Introduction
11.2: Influences of the physical environment
11.3: Influences of the social environment
11.4: Interactions of the physical and social environment
11.5: Relevance to pig production
11.6: Conclusions
References
12: Managing tail biting in pigs: Preventing risk factors or docking tails?
Abstract
Acknowledgments
12.1: Introduction
12.2: What motivates tail biting?
12.3: Risk factors for tail biting: The pig
12.4: Risk factors for tail biting: The environment
12.5: Early identification of tail biting
12.6: Handling tail biting outbreaks
12.7: Consequences of tail biting
12.8: Consequences of tail docking
12.9: Conclusions and future perspectives
References
13: Gaining and maintaining interest: Recent advances in enrichment for pigs
Abstract
13.1: Introduction
13.2: What is (good) enrichment?
13.3: Critical reflections on enrichment studies
13.4: Enrichment for different age categories of pigs
13.5: Conclusions
References
14: Aggression in group-housed sows, weaners, and grower-finisher pigs
Abstract
14.1: Introduction
14.2: Aggression and the dominance hierarchy
14.3: Pig aggression in commercial farms
14.4: Factors that affect aggression around mixing
14.5: Factors that affect sow aggression
14.6: Conclusions
14.7: Future trends
References
15: Transport of pigs to slaughter and associated handling
Abstract
15.1: Introduction
15.2: On-farm handling
15.3: Transport
15.4: Reception at the slaughter plant
15.5: Transport of cull sows to slaughter
15.6: Conclusions and future trends
References
16: Slaughter of pigs
Abstract
16.1: Introduction
16.2: Lairage
16.3: Moving to the stunning area
16.4: Bleeding
16.5: Stunning
16.6: Stunning methods
16.7: Monitoring welfare at slaughterhouse according to Welfare Quality
16.8: On-farm killing
16.9: Training in animal welfare at slaughter
16.10: Slaughter welfare legislation and codes
16.11: Future trends
References
Part Three: Pig welfare management topics
17: On-farm and post-mortem health assessment
Abstract
17.1: Introduction
17.2: On-farm assessment of health
17.3: Assessment of health at the abattoir
17.4: Future trends
References
18: Pig-human interactions: Creating a positive perception of humans to ensure pig welfare
Abstract
18.1: Importance of a good human-pig relationship in farms
18.2: Sensory channels in pig-humans interactions
18.3: Perception of humans by pigs
18.4: Consequences of negative and positive human-pig relationship
18.5: Potential ways of improving the human-pig relationship
18.6: Conclusion
References
19: Breeding for pig welfare: Opportunities and challenges
Abstract
19.1: Introduction
19.2: Genetic interactions between production and welfare traits
19.3: State of the art in breeding for improved pig welfare
19.4: Barriers to breeding for pig welfare
19.5: The role of modern breeding tools in overcoming barriers to selection
19.6: Conclusions and future trends
References
20: Precision livestock farming and technology in pig husbandry
Abstract
20.1: Introduction
20.2: History of technology on the pig farm
20.3: Precision livestock farming technology
20.4: Animal responses that are welfare indicators
20.5: Potential PLF technologies and their readiness for the pig farm
20.6: Potential of PLF to improve welfare assessment
20.7: Practical considerations
20.8: Limitations of PLF
20.9: Social and ethical considerations
20.10: Conclusion
References
21: Pigs as laboratory animals
Abstract
21.1: Introduction
21.2: Monitoring of laboratory pig welfare
21.3: Welfare and housing
21.4: Welfare and feeding
21.5: Welfare and human–animal interaction
21.6: Management and alleviation of pain and discomfort
21.7: Future trends and conclusions
References
Part Four: Pig welfare from a global perspective
22: How much do people care about pig welfare, and how much will they pay for it?
Abstract
Acknowledgements
22.1: Introduction
22.2: The Brambell Committee and the origin of the modern idea of farm animal welfare
22.3: National animal welfare legislation
22.4: Animal welfare rules and standards at European and global level
22.5: Market-driven animal welfare
22.6: The relative importance of legislation and market-driven initiatives for pork welfare
22.7: Perceptions of, and willingness to pay for, pig welfare
22.8: Conclusion
References
23: Global developments in pig welfare: From legislation to market-driven change
Abstract
23.1: Introduction
23.2: Legislation
23.3: Labelling schemes
23.4: Pig welfare from a global perspective
23.5: Concluding remarks
References
24: The economics of pig welfare
Abstract
24.1: Introduction
24.2: An economic analysis applied to pig welfare
24.3: Economic significance of specific issues in pig welfare
24.4: Concluding remarks
References
25: Effects of climate change on pig welfare
Abstract
25.1: Introduction
25.2: Heat stress as a result of global warming
25.3: Extreme climate events and disasters
25.4: New diseases
25.5: Conclusions
References
26: Farmer attitudes towards pig welfare
Abstract
26.1: Introduction
26.2: Pig farmers’ conception of farm animal welfare
26.3: Attitudes towards pig sentience and husbandry practices that influence animal welfare
26.4: Participating in animal welfare assurance programs
26.5: Concluding remarks and future work
References
Index

Life Sciences

Physical Sciences & Engineering

Social Sciences & Humanities

Health

Advances in Pig Welfare

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Irene Camerlink

Emma M. Baxter