The use of Dry Sow Stalls in New Zealand.

BY EMILY YOUNG AND HANNAH VAN DEN BRINK

What is a sow stall? Commonly known as a sow crate

Sow crates are used by farmers just after females are mated

They are about the same width and length as a female sow (60 centimetres wide and 2 metres long)

The sows are unable to turn around in these crates and tend to defecate and urinate where they lay

They are housed in these for the first 4 weeks of their 16 week pregnancy (The sows are very aggressive at this time)

Different from Farrowing Crates

Dry Sow Stalls VS Farrowing Crates Dry Sow Stalls They are barred metal crate, with metal

slate floors for the removal of effluent. They are 60cm wide and 2 metres long, just a fraction bigger than the sow herself.

Sow stalls are used by farmers just after females are mated.

They are only housed in these for the first 4 weeks of their 16 week pregnancy (The sows are very aggressive at this time).

These are used to manage the aggressive sows and to prevent hierarchal aggression towards other sows.

Farrowing crates Farrowing crates are different. They are

barred metal cages with a separate area for the piglets to be able to move out of the way of the sow.

This is where the sow is placed at the end of her pregnancy to give birth.

They are used to decrease the amount of piglets that are squished by their mothers

Why have Sow Crates? Sow stalls were developed 30

years ago, for managing the negative effects of hierarchical aggression, and also for parasite control. It stops aggressive behaviour like

ear, tail and vulva biting.

There wasn’t treatments available at that time (for controlling parasites)

From a stock management perspective sows are easier to manage

Housing greater numbers = Greater profits

Advantages of sow stalls

Limits aggression and injury to sows

Easier to manage the animals

Have the ability to house more animals in a smaller area = higher profit

Reduce competition for resources

Provide safety for the workers

Provides ability to control the body condition of the sows

Disadvantages of sow stalls

Cruel to the pigs as…

Prevents the sows performing natural foraging behaviours and nest building behaviours

Restricts natural moving behaviours

Limits social interactions between sows

The sows cant defecate or urinate away from their laying area

Uncomfortable as pigs cannot turn around and are laying on cold metal slates

Physical disorders such as joint damage, leg weakness and urinary tract infections due to lack of exercise and confinement on hard floors.

Chronic stress, aggressive and abnormal behaviour due to boredom from excessive periods of confinement.

Whats being done about these Crates?

NAWAC (National Animal Welfare Advisory Committee) say that…

“Between 3 December 2012 and 3 December 2015 mated sows and gilts must not be confined in dry sow stalls for more than four weeks after mating.”

“After 3 December 2015 mated sows and gilts must not be confined in dry sow stalls after mating. If individually confined in a pen, sows must have sufficient space so that they can stand up, turn around without touching the walls, and lie comfortably in a natural position, and be provided with separate dunging, lying and eating areas.”

In other words Sow crates will be out of use by 2015One news televised account:http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/govt-says-nz-can-now-lead-way-humane-pig-farming-3934993

Reasons to ban Sow Stalls

Reasons to keep Sow Stalls

• Cruel • Media coverage "The strength of the

public's reaction against the television exposé showing pigs locked in cages, chewing bars and looking demented, with festering sores on them - forced the government's hand, and they had no alternative but to get rid of them.“ Green Party Animal Welfare spokesperson Sue Kedgley said.”

• Studies have shown free range tastes better

• New Zealand wants to maintain their “Clean and Green” image

• Unnatural • Develop unnatural behaviours due

to boredom and lack of stimulation • Stops consumers boycotting pork

products due to the inhumane raising of pigs

• It is going to cost farmers around 20 million dollars to phase these stalls out

• Controls the sows aggressive behaviour

• Higher production numbers• Alternative management systems

haven’t been researched enough • With the stalls it is easier to

manage the sows health• Will cost the consumer 4.7% more

on inflated pork prices• There will be a drop in pork

production as some farmers will exit the industry

• Drop in production means we will have to import more pork from overseas

PigCare™ & Animal Welfare PigCare™ is an independent welfare auditing programme that

checks that New Zealand’s pigs are being well cared for.

They check the pigs, the farm buildings, facilities and husbandry practices.

PigCare™ is continually checked to ensure the audit tests are up to date and abide by current standards.  New Zealand is recognised as having some of the highest animal welfare standards in the world.

By buying pork products with the PigCare™ label, consumers can be confident they are supporting high animal welfare standards.

Who to contact if you have any animals welfare concerns:

Click icon to add picture

To report an animal welfare issue:

0800 00 83 33

Royal New Zealand SPCA (RNZSPCA)

http://www.rnzspca.org.nz/contact-us/find-your-spca?category=1

A peak at a Free Range pig farm

Havoc Pork Company Limited759 Kaikorai Valley Road, Dunedin

Free Range Happy pigsNo Stalls Natural instincts Drug freehttp://www.havocpork.co.nz/news/happy-healthy-pigs

Questions??

Bibliography: MPI – Pigs Animal Welfare (Pigs) Code of Welfare 2010

http://www.biosecurity.govt.nz/animal-welfare/codes/pigs/index.htm

Safe NZ http://www.safe.org.nz/stop-factory-farming/pigs/cruelty/

(used for information and pictures)

Fresh Pork NZ Http://www.freshporkfarmers.co.nz/skin_dryStalls.cfm?request=drySt

alls

NZ Pork http://www.nzpork.co.nz/pigcare-and-animal-welfare

Havoc Pork

http://www.havocpork.co.nz/news/happy-healthy-pigs

https://www.google.co.nz/search (sow stalls)

Bibliography Picture (Slide 1):

http://www.farmsnotfactories.org/issues/abusing-animals/

Picture (Slide 2): http://hrexach.wordpress.com/2013/11/05/gestation-crate-for-female-pigs-p

lease-ban-them/

Picture (Slide 4): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gestation_crate

Pictures (Slide 10): http://www.havocpork.co.nz/news/happy-healthy-pigs

Picture (Slide 11): http://

www.animalsaustralia.org/features/victory-tasmania-bans-sow-stalls.php