Disclaimer: These examples are not an endorsement.

Tail biting and tail docking

The examples of commercial farms given here address some good practices regarding keeping pigs with intact tails:

Inventory for tail biting risk assessment and pig observations: Many risk assessment systems for tail biting have been developed across Europe but they are hard to find. The same applies to practical instructions for what to look for in pigs during direct observations. In an Excel file, FLI has compiled information on risk assessment systems and practical instructions.
Experiences in keeping pigs with undocked tails: This video briefly explains the multifactorial causes of tail biting, its consequences, risk factors for tail biting and measures to reduce it. The video is a research-based production from the EU funded COST Action “GroupHouseNet”.
Risk factors for tail biting: In this video a conventional farmer is interviewed on his experiences in keeping pigs with undocked tails. On this farm, weaners and finishers are kept. The interview particularly deals with genetic factors, measures against tail biting, organic rooting material and the need for intensive observation of the pigs.

Click here for 11 inspiring examples to prevent tail biting.

Go to the dossier on tail biting and tail docking.

Farrowing housing and management

The examples of commercial farms given here address some good practices regarding meeting the needs of sows and piglets:

Space and freedom to move (Es beginnt alles mit der Sau): An adequate farrowing pen has to meet species-specific needs of suckling piglets and their mother around birth. This includes space and freedom to move. In this video Jan-Hendrik Hohls from Vision Pig explains his free farrowing pens, where sows are only temporarily fixed.
Pig mobile houses: The pig mobile barns are suitable for all groups of pigs and are designed to be moved at any time together with the animals. They provide pigs with an outdoor area and are equipped with anti-crush bars and a piglet nest, allowing sows to farrow in the resting area and nurse their piglets until weaning. After weaning, the pigs can remain together in the mobile barn as a stress-free family group until slaughter.

Go to the dossier on farrowing housing and management.

Fitness for transport

The examples of given here address some good practices regarding management of injured and sick pigs on farm.

An ‘ambulance‘ for moving injured and sick pigs: In each housing system it may happen that pigs can become injured or sick. In certain cases, a pig then has to be moved to a hospital pen. Moving a sick or injured pig can result in additional pain and stress to the animal. Farmers Ingrid and Arned Luiten-Vremann invented a pig ‘ambulance’ to transport sick or injured pigs to the hospital pen as gentle as possible.

Go to the dossier on fitness for transport.

Group-housing and mixing of sows

Standard group-housing systems may not provide sufficient space at the time of mixing. The examples of commercial farms given here address some good practices regarding group-housing and mixing of sows:

Mixing pens, provision of roughage and rubber mats. Dossier group-housing and mixing of sows.

Fibre rich food: In this short video, Jan-Hendrik Hohls, a German Farmer from Vision Pig - MuD Tierschutz, states that the best material to enrich sows is the food itself. Especially dietary fibre rich food keeps sows busy with food intake for 4h per day. This promotes calmness in the group and avoids negative social interaction.

Go to the dossier on group-housing and mixing of sows.

Husbandry - Inspiring examples