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The report describes the outcome of an audit in France from June 17 to 21, 2019. The objective of the audit was to evaluate the suitability and effectiveness of the measures in place to prevent tail biting and to avoid routine tail docking of pigs.
French authorities and the pig sector have developed an Action Plan which contains some of the main elements required to improve farm rearing conditions. However, at this point, only very few tangible actions have been taken to improve compliance with the provisions of the Pig Directive and to reduce tail biting and avoid tail docking of pigs, which is still carried out routinely in the country with an estimated incidence of 99%.
The high incidence of tail biting injuries in docked pigs reported in a study in two slaughterhouses indicates an urgent need for improvement of rearing conditions in the pig sector.
Authorities are working on finalizing compliance criteria; however, the plan is not clear about what the next steps are for transitioning to rearing pigs with intact tails, and the deadlines set for bringing the sector into compliance are long (2022 to 2024).
February 27, 2020/ European Commission/ EU.
https://ec.europa.eu/
