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Determined as a state of physical, mental, and physiological confort, welfare enables animals to perform the routine of their species without stress caused by fear, hunger, thirst, heat or cold. In swine production, welfare is associated with adequate environment, pain reduction, expression of the animals' natural behaviors, reduction of environmental restrictions by crates, correct management, safe transportation, and proper slaughter. This issue has constantly been discussed and the search for best practices has currently increased, either by the industry's awareness, or to meet the consumers demands.
In Brazil, workers from pig farms, transportation and slaughterhouses must be trained to adopt the best management practices to promote animal welfare. As so, pain, fear and suffering during all phases of the farm until slaughter will be reduced.
To guarantee pigs’ welfare, Brazil relies on a rigorous system of norms and inspection, as explained by Lizie Pereira Buss, a veterinarian from the Ministry of Agriculture. "It all starts with the Brazilian Federal Constitution, art. 225, which defends people’s right for an ecologically balanced environment, of common use and essential for a better quality of life. Thus, it is everyone’s duty to defend and preserve it for future generations”.
The Constitution also predicts the protection of fauna and flora, thus prohibiting practices which might cause the extinction of species, or submit animals to cruelty. "We also have rules for animal health and good practices developed by the Ministry of Agriculture, as well as rules developed by the Federal Council of Veterinary Medicine that determine professional care and regulate guidelines for producers and workers of pig farms. Finally, there are also laws, such as those relates to environmental crimes, to punish those who hurt, mutilate, abuse or mistreat animals," mentioned Dr. Buss.
Brazil: Normative Instruction 113
Brazil established, in December 2020, the law IN113 from the Ministry of Agriculture, related to animal welfare for the swine production system. In its 54 articles, the document addresses both facilities and management practices, with policies aligned with the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) guidelines for pig production.
Besides the support that the IN113 gives to the area's exports, it also strengthens the monitoring of good production practices, such as the establishment of animals daily inspection. "It defines as mandatory the daily and systematic inspection. Besides the system security, it promotes many gains for the producer. The early diagnosis of a disease allows pig farmers to take correct and confident decisions," explains Juliana Ribas, from Agroceres PIC, and member of the IPVS2022 Organizing Committee.
Promoting animal welfare
To promote animal welfare, some processes must be followed with extreme care, such as: good nutrition, health, adequate environment, and appropriate species behavior. These criteria were established by the Welfare Quality project in 2009 and are used worldwide. "Promoting welfare is more than just certifying good zootechnical performance: it involves providing a life worth living, from the animal's point of view," adds Lizie.
The adoption of those practices in the routine of pig farm's presents benefit not only for the animals, but also for the workers, improving the profits. Once feeling well, the animals can easily adapt, face fewer challenges, spend less energy on stress and fear, thus becoming more efficient. In addition, less stressed and frightened animals have an easiest management.
Slaughter is a moment of great stress, thus being extremely criticized by international organizations. In Brazil, humane slaughtering takes place, which involves a series of precautions in pre-slaughter handling. "Slaughter represents a short period in the animal’s life. If transportation and handling are well done, we can greatly reduce acute stress", points out Lizie.
She also mentioned that the norms for humane slaughter in Brazil (RIISPOA and IN 03/2000) deal with the general principles of not generating unnecessary stress and suffering, providing safe transportation, a calm environment with water ad libitum at the slaughterhouse, restraint without pain and fight, stunning that promotes immediate loss of consciousness so that the animal does not feel pain or distress, fastest blood loss, generating death without the animal regaining consciousness.
It is worth pointing out that pig welfare should connect all elements of the system. "I am proud of the professionals involved and see the results that have already been achieved and the future goals. There is still resistance, but, step by step, these competent professionals demonstrate that the focus on one health and one welfare is our only way out to a sustainable and morally accepted swine industry," concludes Lizie Pereira Buss.
Animal welfare will also be on the program of the IPVS2022
The IPVS - International Pig Veterinary Society congress, the most important scientific event of the swine industry worldwide, will be held in the city of Rio de Janeiro (RJ) in 2022, returning to Brazil after three decades. The event will be held from June 21st to 24th, at the RioCentro Convention & Event, and will have as its theme "New perspectives for the swine industry: biosafety, productivity and innovation".
More information about the event is available at www.ipvs2022.com.
July 7, 2021 - IPVS 2022
