Regulation 5
SCHEDULE 8Additional conditions that apply to the keeping of pigs
PART 1Interpretation
1. In this Schedule—
“boar” (“baedd”) means a male pig after puberty, intended for breeding;
“gilt” (“banwes”) means a female pig intended for breeding after puberty and before farrowing;
“piglet” (“porchell”) means a pig from birth to weaning;
“rearing pig” (“mochyn magu”) means a pig from the age of ten weeks to slaughter or service;
“sow” (“hwch”) means a female pig after the first farrowing;
“weaner” (“porchell diddwyn”) means a pig from weaning to the age of ten weeks.
PART 2General additional conditions
Inspection
2. All pigs must be inspected by the owner or other person responsible for the pigs at least once a day to check that they are in a state of well-being.
Tethering
3. No person responsible for a pig may tether it or cause it to be tethered, except while it is undergoing any examination, test, treatment or operation carried out for any veterinary purpose.
4.—(1) Where tethers are used in accordance with paragraph 3, they must not cause injury to the pigs and must be inspected regularly and adjusted as necessary to ensure a comfortable fit.
(2) Each tether must be of sufficient length to allow the pigs to move as stipulated in paragraph 5(2)(a) and (e) and the design must be such as to avoid, as far as possible, any risk of strangulation, pain or injury.
Accommodation
5.—(1) A pig must be free to turn around without difficulty at all times.
(2) The accommodation used for pigs must be constructed in such a way as to allow each pig to—
(a)stand up, lie down and rest without difficulty;
(b)have a clean, comfortable and adequately drained place in which it can rest;
(c)see other pigs, except—
(i)where the pig is isolated for veterinary reasons; or
(ii)in the week before the expected farrowing time and during farrowing, when sows and gilts may be kept out of sight of other pigs;
(d)maintain a comfortable temperature; and
(e)have enough space to allow all the animals to lie down at the same time.
6.—(1) The dimensions of any stall or pen used for holding individual pigs must be such that the internal area is not less than the square of the length of the pig, and no internal side is less than 75% of the length of the pig, the length of the pig in each case being measured from the tip of its snout to the base of its tail while it is standing with its back straight.
(2) Sub-paragraph (1) does not apply to a female pig for the period beginning with seven days before the predicted day of her farrowing and ending when the weaning of her piglets (including any piglets fostered by her) is complete.
(3) Sub-paragraph (1) does not apply to a pig held in a stall or pen—
(a)while it is undergoing any examination, test, treatment or operation carried out for veterinary purposes;
(b)for the purposes of service, artificial insemination or collection of semen;
(c)while it is fed on any particular occasion;
(d)for the purposes of marking, washing or weighing it;
(e)while its accommodation is being cleaned; or
(f)while it is awaiting loading for transportation,
provided that the period during which it is so kept is not longer than necessary for that purpose.
(4) Sub-paragraph (1) does not apply to a pig held in a stall or pen which the pig can enter or leave at will, provided that the stall or pen is entered from a stall or pen in which the pig is kept without contravention of this paragraph.
Artificially lit buildings
7. Where pigs are kept in an artificially lit building, lighting with an intensity of at least 40 lux must be provided for a minimum period of 8 hours per day subject to paragraph 16 of Schedule 1.
Prevention of fighting
8.—(1) If pigs are kept together, measures must be taken to prevent fighting which goes beyond normal behaviour.
(2) Pigs which show persistent aggression towards others or are victims of such aggression must be separated from the group.
Cleaning and disinfection
9.—(1) Housing, pens, equipment and utensils used for pigs must be properly cleaned and disinfected as often as necessary to prevent cross-infection and build-up of disease-carrying organisms.
(2) Faeces, urine and uneaten or spilt food must be removed as often as necessary to minimise smell and to avoid attracting flies or rodents.
Bedding
10. Where bedding is provided, it must be clean, dry and not harmful to the pigs.
Floors
11. Where pigs are kept in a building, floors must—
(a)be smooth but not slippery;
(b)be designed, constructed and maintained so as not to cause injury or suffering to pigs standing or lying on them;
(c)be suitable for the size and weight of the pigs; and
(d)where no litter is provided, form a rigid, even and stable surface.
12.—(1) Where concrete slatted floors are used for pigs kept in groups, the maximum width of the openings must be—
(a)11 mm for piglets;
(b)14 mm for weaners;
(c)18 mm for rearing pigs; and
(d)20 mm for gilts after service and sows.
(2) The minimum slat width must be—
(a)50 mm for piglets and weaners; and
(b)80 mm for rearing pigs, gilts after service and sows.
Feeding
13.—(1) All pigs must be fed at least once a day.
(2) Where pigs are housed in a group and do not have continuous access to feed, or are not fed by an automatic feeding system feeding the animals individually, each pig must have access to the food at the same time as the others in the feeding group.
Drinking water
14. All pigs over two weeks of age must have continuous access to a sufficient quantity of fresh drinking water.
Environmental enrichment
15. To enable proper investigation and manipulation activities, all pigs must have permanent access to a sufficient quantity of material such as straw, hay, wood, sawdust, mushroom compost, peat or a mixture of such which does not adversely affect the health of the animals.
Prohibition on the use of the sweat-box system
16. Pigs must not be kept in an environment which involves maintaining high temperatures and high humidity (known as the “sweat-box system”).
Noise levels
17. Pigs must not be exposed to constant or sudden noise.
18. Noise levels above 85 dBA must be avoided in that part of any building where pigs are kept.
PART 3Boars
19. Boar pens must be sited and constructed so as to allow the boar to turn around and to hear, see and smell other pigs, and must contain clean resting areas.
20. The lying area must be dry and comfortable.
21.—(1) Subject to sub-paragraph (2), the minimum unobstructed floor area for a boar must be 6 m2.
(2) When boar pens are also used for natural service, the floor area must be at least 10 m2 and must be free of any obstacles.
PART 4Sows and Gilts
22. Pregnant sows and gilts must, where necessary, be treated against external and internal parasites.
Farrowing
23. Pregnant sows and gilts must be thoroughly cleaned before being placed in farrowing crates.
24. In the week before the expected farrowing time, sows and gilts must be given suitable nesting material in sufficient quantity unless it is not technically feasible for the slurry system used.
25. During farrowing, an unobstructed area behind the sow or gilt must be available for the ease of natural or assisted farrowing.
26. Farrowing pens where sows or gilts are kept loose must have some means of protecting the piglets, such as farrowing rails.
Group housing
27. Sows and gilts must be kept in groups except during the period between seven days before the predicted day of farrowing and the day on which the weaning of piglets (including any piglets fostered) is complete.
28. The pen where the group is kept must have sides greater than 2.8 m in length, except when there are six or fewer individuals in the group, when the sides of the pen must be no less than 2.4 m in length.
29. The unobstructed floor area available to each gilt after service and to each sow when gilts and/or sows are kept in groups must be at least 1.64 m2 and 2.25 m2 respectively. When these animals are kept in groups of six or fewer individuals, the unobstructed floor area must be increased by 10%. When these animals are kept in groups of 40 or more individuals, the unobstructed floor area may be decreased by 10%.
30. For gilts after service and pregnant sows, a part of the area required in paragraph 29 equal to at least 0.95 m2 per gilt and at least 1.3 m2 per sow must be of continuous solid floor of which a maximum of 15% is reserved for drainage openings.
31. Sows and gilts kept on holdings of 10 or fewer sows may be kept individually provided that their accommodation complies with the requirements of paragraphs 5 and 6 of this Schedule.
32. In addition to the requirements of paragraph 13 of this Schedule, sows and gilts must be fed using a system which ensures that each individual can obtain sufficient food even when competitors for the food are present.
33. All dry pregnant sows and gilts must be given a sufficient quantity of bulky or high-fibre food as well as high-energy food to satisfy their hunger and need to chew.
PART 5Piglets
34. Where a farrowing crate system is used, piglets must be provided with a source of heat and a solid, dry and comfortable lying area away from the sow where all of them can rest at the same time.
35. A part of the floor area where the piglets are kept, and which is large enough to allow the animals to rest together at the same time, must be solid or covered with a mat, or be littered with straw or other suitable material.
36. Where a farrowing crate system is used, the piglets must have sufficient space so they can be suckled without difficulty.
37. Subject to paragraph 38, piglets must not be weaned from the sow at an age less than 28 days, unless the health or welfare of the sow or piglets would otherwise be adversely affected.
38. Piglets may be weaned up to seven days earlier than the age referred to in paragraph 37 if they are moved into specialised housing which is—
(a)emptied and thoroughly cleaned and disinfected before the introduction of a new group; and
(b)separate from housing where other sows are kept.
PART 6Weaners and rearing pigs
39. As soon as possible after weaning, weaners and rearing pigs must be kept in stable groups, with as little mixing as possible.
40. If weaners and rearing pigs unfamiliar with one another have to be mixed—
(a)this must if possible be done before weaning or up to one week after weaning, or otherwise when the pigs are as young as possible; and
(b)they must be provided with adequate opportunities to escape and hide from other pigs.
41. The use of tranquilising medication in order to facilitate mixing must be limited to exceptional conditions and only after consultation with a veterinary surgeon.
42. If there are signs of severe fighting, the causes must be immediately investigated and appropriate measures taken.
43. The unobstructed floor area available to each weaner or rearing pig reared in a group must be at least—
(a)0.15 m2 for each pig where the average weight of the pigs in the group is 10 kg or less;
(b)0.20 m2 for each pig where the average weight of the pigs in the group is more than 10 kg, but less than or equal to 20 kg;
(c)0.30 m2 for each pig where the average weight of the pigs in the group is more than 20 kg but less than or equal to 30 kg;
(d)0.40 m2 for each pig where the average weight of the pigs in the group is more than 30 kg but less than or equal to 50 kg;
(e)0.55 m2 for each pig where the average weight of the pigs in the group is more than 50 kg but less than or equal to 85 kg;
(f)0.65 m2 for each pig where the average weight of the pigs in the group is more than 85 kg but less than or equal to 110 kg; and
(g)1.00 m2 for each pig where the average weight of the pigs in the group is more than 110 kg.