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Pain management and Enrichment for Pigs – Jennifer Brown 2017
Posted in: Pork Insight Articles, Prairie Swine Centre, Welfare by admin on May 2, 2017
Summary:
Powerpoint outlining new guidelines that came into place as of July 2016 regarding pain managment and enrichment
PAIN MANAGEMENT
As of July 1st 2016: Castration performed at any age must be done with analgesics to help control post-procedure pain, while castration performed after 10 days of age must be done with anesthetic and analgesic to control pain.
Pain control is now required at castration and tail docking
Brown also outlines several options avoiding castration focusing on Improvest an immunocastration method approved in Canada that requires approval for slaughter by individual packers as they must monitor for boar taint.
The other option to avoid castration discussed is slaughtering males early before sexual maturation to avoid castration and boar taint.
ENRICHMENT
“Pigs must be provided with multiple forms of enrichment that aim to improve the welfare of the animals through the enhancement of their physical and social environments”
The purpose of enrichment is
Increase the number and range of normal behaviours
Prevent, or reduce the severity, of abnormal behaviours
Increase positive utilization of the environment (e.g. use of space)
Increase the ability to cope with behavioural and physiological challenges
While different enrichment’s are discussed Brown notes that pigs seemed to prefer the tray feeders over the enrichment’s as they could preform rooting behaviour.
Pain management and enrichment-Swift Current