The Welfare of Farmed Animals (England) Regulations 2007

PART 2 E+W General additional conditions

Inspection E+W

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 E+W

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 E+W

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 E+W

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 E+W

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 E+W

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 E+W

10.  Where bedding is provided, it must be clean, dry and not harmful to the pigs.

Floors E+W

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 E+W

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 E+W

14.  All pigs over two weeks of age must have continuous access to a sufficient quantity of fresh drinking water.

Environmental enrichment E+W

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 E+W

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 E+W

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.