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From 1 January 2013 all sow farmers in the EU will have to house pregnant sows in a group. In order to give a clear and complete picture of the options relating to group housing using pig feeding stations, the information campaign ’Welcome to 2013’ will be launched in September. A news bulletin and a website (www.esf2013.com) with pictures, films and background information will tell sow farmers all they need to know about group housing with feeding stations. Sow farmers from all over Europe relate their personal experiences with this form of group housing; the advantages and disadvantages. Specialists -such as a veterinarian and a researcher at the University of Wageningen- will also share their opinions of group housing with feeding stations, based on their knowledge and experiences. The campaign will be run in a large part of the EU.
Independent information
Nedap Agri is the initiator behind the campaign. As a producer of feeding stations, the company was receiving signals indicating that the market often considers group housing of sows with feeding stations as unknown territory. And that bearing in mind that sow farmers will have to take some major decisions about their future before 2013. So, an important factor in making an informed decision is knowledge and information about all the possibilities offered by group housing. In order to provide information that is as impartial as possible about the subject, Nedap Agri has asked sow farmers to recount their personal experiences; both the advantages and the disadvantages. Sow farmers can read all about these stories on the website www.esf2013.com and submit their own experiences. By allowing sow farmers and specialists to voice their opinions about group housing with pig feeding stations, Nedap Agri wants to facilitate honest, but comprehensive information.
Welcome to 2013: bulletin and website
The bulletin Welcome to 2013 will be distributed via trade journals in the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Spain, Italy, Germany, Poland, the Czech Republic and Hungary. The website can be accessed on www.esf2013.com.
Nedap Agri
