Literature review to inform the future Australian Standards and Guidelines for Pigs

Project goal

This review is a comprehensive documentation of recent findings on pig welfare at all stages of their production cycle.

Furthermore, the current Australian Model Code of Practice for the Welfare of Animals – Pigs is compared to the current Codes or Standards in Canada, the United Kingdom, the European Union and New Zealand. These countries were selected because their high standards of pig welfare have been widely recognised.

Project summary

The welfare of pigs farmed in Australia is protected by the Australian Model Code of Practice for the Welfare of Animals - Pigs, which was last revised in 2007. This project conducted a review of relevant science and technologies, and of other countries' welfare codes, in order to provide recommendations about what should be incorporated into the Australian pig welfare standards.

Value for producers:

  • Allow industry to sustain and continuously improve the welfare of pigs based on science
  • Puts industry on the front foot during the revision of the Model Code - Pigs

Recommendations:

  • There were a number of recommendations made across a number of areas; pigs (by age and stage), housing and space requirement, general management practices, and pig behaviour.
Research enquiries