Shaping Our Future
Background
In November 2010, APL delegates voted overwhelmingly to pursue the voluntary phase-out of gestation stalls by 2017. The delegates endorsed two resolutions:
- That Australian pork producers commit to pursuing the voluntary phasing out of the use of gestation stalls by 2017.
- That Australian pork producers recognise the welfare benefits of gestation stalls, the cost of change and the need for research, investment and off-sets to support the voluntary commitment to change.
Under these resolutions, “Gestation Stall Free” has been defined as:
“Sows and gilts should be kept in loose housing from five days after service until one week before farrowing, where service refers to the last mating. In loose (group) housing, sow and gilts – either singularly or in groups - have freedom of movement i.e. they can turn around and extend their limbs. The housing of one or more animals must meet the Model Code for the Welfare of Pigs (2007) space allowance requirements. Where a pen is used to confine a pig individually during gestation (up to 1 week prior to farrowing), it must meet the definition of loose housing, i.e. the animal must be able to have freedom of movement, to turn around and extend its limbs.”
Exceptions include:
- Hospital/Special Care Stalls used to individually house pigs temporarily to allow sufficient time to provide special care for sickness, injury, medications and other health treatments under veterinary advice, or under special care by a competent stockperson.
- Feeding stalls used to confine an individual pig for feeding and/or animal husbandry reasons, such as vaccination, pregnancy confirmation etc for a time of up to 3 hours in any one day.
Systems in which individual sows are confined individually during gestation, but which meet the definition of loose housing, include:
- Free access pens, which contain individual feeding accommodation, but which allow the individual pig to go in and out at will.
- Electronic sow feeding systems, which contain individual feeding accommodation, but which allow the individual pig to go in and out at will.
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