Large litter sizes: ethical challenges and ways of dealing with them in future breeding and management

Peter Sandøe; K.M.D. Rutherford; Peer Berg

Large litter sizes: ethical challenges and ways of dealing with them in future breeding and management

Peter Sandøe, K.M.D. Rutherford, Peer Berg

Abstract

This paper presents some key results and conclusions from a review (Rutherford et al. 2011) undertaken regarding the ethical and welfare implications of breeding for large litter size in the domestic pig and about different ways of dealing with these implications. Focus is primarily on the direct adverse consequences for animal welfare of Danish breeding for large litter sizes due to increased piglet mortality and the subsequent attempts to reverse these consequences by breeding for number of live piglets at day five rather than number of piglets born. By this change of breeding goal it seems possible to achieve a drop in relative piglet mortality and the related welfare problems. However, there will be a growing problem with the need to use foster or nurse sows which may have negative effects on both sows and piglets. This gives rise to new challenges for management.

Originalsprog	Engelsk
Titel	4th European symposium of porcine health management : programme & abstract book
Antal sider	3
Publikationsdato	2012
Sider	74-76
ISBN (Trykt)	9789079892037
Status	Udgivet - 2012
Begivenhed	European Symposium of Porcine Health Management 2012 - Congress Centre Oud Sint-Jan, Bruges, Belgien Varighed: 25 apr. 2012 → 27 apr. 2012 Konferencens nummer: 4

Konference

Konference	European Symposium of Porcine Health Management 2012
Nummer	4
Lokation	Congress Centre Oud Sint-Jan
Land/Område	Belgien
By	Bruges
Periode	25/04/2012 → 27/04/2012

Adgang til dokumentet

Large litter sizesForlagets udgivne version, 364 KB

Citationsformater

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AB - This paper presents some key results and conclusions from a review (Rutherford et al. 2011) undertaken regarding the ethical and welfare implications of breeding for large litter size in the domestic pig and about different ways of dealing with these implications. Focus is primarily on the direct adverse consequences for animal welfare of Danish breeding for large litter sizes due to increased piglet mortality and the subsequent attempts to reverse these consequences by breeding for number of live piglets at day five rather than number of piglets born. By this change of breeding goal it seems possible to achieve a drop in relative piglet mortality and the related welfare problems. However, there will be a growing problem with the need to use foster or nurse sows which may have negative effects on both sows and piglets. This gives rise to new challenges for management.

M3 - Article in proceedings

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EP - 76

BT - 4th European symposium of porcine health management

Y2 - 25 April 2012 through 27 April 2012

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