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.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	4th European symposium of porcine health management : programme & abstract book
Number of pages	3
Publication date	2012
Pages	74-76
ISBN (Print)	9789079892037
Publication status	Published - 2012
Event	European Symposium of Porcine Health Management 2012 - Congress Centre Oud Sint-Jan, Bruges, Belgium Duration: 25 Apr 2012 → 27 Apr 2012 Conference number: 4

Conference

Conference	European Symposium of Porcine Health Management 2012
Number	4
Location	Congress Centre Oud Sint-Jan
Country/Territory	Belgium
City	Bruges
Period	25/04/2012 → 27/04/2012

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Cite this

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

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.",

author = "Peter Sand{\o}e and K.M.D. Rutherford and Peer Berg",

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AU - Berg, Peer

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N2 - 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.

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

SN - 9789079892037

SP - 74

EP - 76

BT - 4th European symposium of porcine health management

Y2 - 25 April 2012 through 27 April 2012

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