Regulation 6(1)(e)
1. In this Schedule—
“boar” means a male pig after puberty, intended for breeding;
“gilt” means a female pig intended for breeding after puberty and before farrowing;
“piglet” means a pig from birth to weaning;
“rearing pig” means a pig from the age of 10 weeks to slaughter or service;
“sow” means a female pig after the first farrowing; and
“weaner” means a pig from weaning to the age of 10 weeks.
2. All pigs must be inspected by the person responsible for the pigs at least once a day to check that they are in a state of well-being.
3. No person may tether or cause to be tethered any pig except while it is undergoing any examination, test, treatment or operation carried out for any veterinary purpose.
4.—(1) Only tethers designed not to cause injury to the pigs may be used and they must be inspected regularly and adjusted as necessary to ensure a comfortable fit.
(2) Only tethers of sufficient length to allow the pigs to move as stipulated in paragraph 5(2) and designed, to avoid, as far as possible, any risk of strangulation, pain or injury, may be used.
5.—(1) A pig must be free to turn round 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, unless the pig is isolated for veterinary reasons;
(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 dimension of any stall or pen used for holding individual pigs in accordance with these Regulations 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 between 7 days before the predicted day of its farrowing and the day on which the weaning of its piglets (including any piglets fostered by it) 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 that sub-paragraph.
7. Where pigs are kept in an artificially lit building then 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.
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 isolated or kept separate from the group.
9. Any person who employs or engages a person to attend to pigs must ensure that the person attending to those pigs has received instruction and guidance on the relevant provisions of these Regulations.
10.—(1) Housing, pens, equipment and utensils used for pigs must be properly cleaned and disinfected as necessary to prevent cross-infection and the 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 avoid attracting flies or rodents.
11. Where bedding is provided, this must be clean, dry and not harmful to the pigs.
12. Where pigs are kept in a building, floors must—
(a)be smooth but not slippery;
(b)be so designed, constructed and maintained 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.
13. On and after 1st January 2013, when concrete slatted floors are used for pigs kept in groups—
(a)the maximum width of the openings between the slats must be—
(i)11 mm for piglets;
(ii)14 mm for weaners;
(iii)18 mm for rearing pigs;
(iv)20 mm for gilts after service and sows; and
(b)the minimum width of the slats must be—
(i)50 mm for piglets and weaners; and
(ii)80 mm for rearing pigs, gilts after service and sows.
14.—(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 for feeding the animals individually, each pig must have access to the food at the same time as the others in the feeding group.
15. All pigs over 2 weeks of age must have permanent access to a sufficient quantity of fresh drinking water.
16. 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.
17. Pigs must not be kept in an environment which involves maintaining high temperatures and high humidity (known as the “sweat-box system”).
18.—(1) Pigs must not be exposed to constant or sudden noise.
(2) Noise levels above 85 dBA must be avoided in that part of any building where pigs are kept.
19. Boar pens must be sited and constructed so as to allow the boar to turn round and to hear, see and smell other pigs, and shall contain clean resting areas.
20. The lying area must be dry and comfortable.
21.—(1) The minimum unobstructed floor area for an adult boar must be 6m2 save as set out in sub‑paragraph (2).
(2) When boar pens are also used for natural service the floor area must be at least 10m2 and must be free of any obstacles.
22. Pregnant gilts and sows must, where necessary, be treated against external and internal parasites.
23. If they are placed in farrowing crates, pregnant sows and gilts must be thoroughly clean.
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 are kept loose must have some means of protecting the piglets, such as farrowing rails.
27. In the week before the expected farrowing time and during farrowing, sows and gilts may be kept out of sight of other pigs.
28. Sows and gilts must be kept in groups except during the period between 7 days before the predicted day of farrowing and the day on which the weaning of piglets (including any piglets fostered) is complete.
29. On and after 1st January 2013, the pen where the group is kept must have sides greater than 2.8m in length, except when there are less than 6 individuals in the group, when the sides of the pen must be no less than 2.4m in length.
30. On and after 1st January 2013—
(a)the total unobstructed floor area available to each gilt after service and to each sow when such gilts or sows are kept in groups must be at least 1.64m2 and 2.25m2 respectively;
(b)when gilts after service or sows are kept in groups of fewer than 6 individuals the unobstructed floor area must be increased by 10%;
(c)when gilts after service or sows are kept in groups of 40 or more individuals the unobstructed floor area may be decreased by 10%.
31. On or after 1st January 2013, for gilts after service and pregnant sows, a part of the area required under paragraph 29 equal to at least 0.95m2 per gilt and at least 1.3m2 per sow must be of continuous solid floor of which a maximum of 15% is reserved for drainage openings.
32. Sows and gilts kept on holdings of fewer than 10 sows may be kept individually provided that their accommodation complies with the requirements of paragraphs 5 and 6.
33. In addition to the requirements of paragraph 13, 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.
34. 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.
35. If necessary, 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.
36. The part of the total floor 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 any other suitable material.
37. Where a farrowing crate is used, the piglets must have sufficient space to be able to be suckled without difficulty.
38. Piglets must not be weaned from the sow at an age of less than 28 days unless the welfare or health of the sow or piglets would otherwise be adversely affected.
39. Piglets may be weaned up to 7 days earlier if they are moved into specialised housings which are emptied and thoroughly cleaned and disinfected before the introduction of a new group and which are separate from housing where sows (other than weaners) are kept.
40. Weaners and rearing pigs must be—
(a)placed in groups as soon as possible after weaning; and
(b)kept in stable groups with as little mixing as possible.
41.—(1) If weaners and rearing pigs unfamiliar with one another have to be mixed, this should be done at as young an age as possible, and, where reasonably practicable, no later than one week after weaning.
(2) When weaners and rearing pigs are mixed they must be provided with adequate opportunities to escape and hide from other pigs.
42. The use of tranquillising medication in order to facilitate the mixing of weaners and rearing pigs must be limited to exceptional conditions and only after consultation with a veterinary surgeon.
43. When signs of severe fighting appear among weaners and rearing pigs, the causes must be immediately investigated and appropriate measures must be taken.
44. The unobstructed floor area available to each weaner or rearing pig reared in a group must be at least—
(a)0.15m2 for each animal where the average weight of the animals in the group is 10 kg or less;
(b)0.20m2 for each animal where the average weight of the animals in the group is more than 10 kg but less than or equal to 20 kg;
(c)0.30m2 for each animal where the average weight of the animals in the group is more than 20 kg but less than or equal to 30 kg;
(d)0.40m2 for each animal where the average weight of the animals in the group is more than 30 kg but less than or equal to 50 kg;
(e)0.55m2 for each animal where the average weight of the animals in the group is more than 50 kg but less than or equal to 85 kg;
(f)0.65m2 for each animal where the average weight of the animals in the group is more than 85 kg but less than or equal to 110 kg; and
(g)1.00m2 for each animal where the average weight of the animals in the group is more than 110 kg.