An Introduction to the UK pig sector

Question 1

What do the public want from the UK pig sector?

Answer 1

Cheap, plentiful food
Decreased prep time
Fulfilling nutritional needs

Question 2

List some current challenges involved in the global meat sector

Answer 2

• Land use
• Water use
• Environmental impact e.g. methane and ammonia production
• Emerging and re-emerging diseases
• Animal welfare
• Food waste - obesity

Question 3

Where in the UK are there high numbers of pig farms?

Answer 3

Areas such as York and East Anglia have high numbers of pigs – they are also high grain growing areas so transportation costs are reduced by having them close together

Question 4

Outdoor pigs need to be reared in areas with good..?

Answer 4

Soil drainage

Question 5

Why are many pig units a mix of indoor and outdoor?

Answer 5

Outdoor – cost of production is higher but it is asked for – by companies and consumers - ‘higher welfare’
Most pigs don’t finish outdoors – only 3% is fully free range – we don’t have the land for this to increase by much as pigs require a large amount of space

Question 6

What are the roles of vets in the pig sector?

Answer 6

• Health and welfare on unit
• Disease diagnosis and intervention
• Health programme initiation and management
• Overall production view
• Staff training
• Legislation and public health

Question 7

What are the main production stages on a UK pig farm?

Answer 7

Weaning, grower and finisher (7kg – 30kg – 130kg)
Farrow to finish – fewer of these

Question 8

List some KPI for UK pig farms

Answer 8

• Pigs weaned per sow per year
• Replacement rates
• Sow and gilt mortality
• Farrowing rate
• Piglets born alive per litter
• Piglets born dead per litter
• Pre-weaning mortality %
• Average weaning weight

Question 9

Describe some characteristics of pigs

Answer 9

Intelligent
Sociable
‘Clean’ – areas for toileting and sleeping
Senses

Question 10

What are some challenges on farm?

Answer 10

• Juvenile population
• Infection vs immunity (continuous production – endemic infection)
• Batch systems: separating ages – amount of infection pressure decreases
• Immunity basics (colostrum): no immunity from the mother so its is all from colostrum
• Infection pressures

Question 11

How can challenges on farm be dealt with?

Answer 11

Good colostrum transfer
Age breaks (pen – building – farm)
Hygiene
Stable immunity

Question 12

What are some pig industry challenges?

Answer 12

• Outdoor is better for the pigs
• Slatted floors are bad for the pigs
• Any form of confinement is bad for the pigs
• Mutilations should all be banned (what are they?)
• AMR
• Poor knowledge transfer