Knowledge and Perspectives on the Welfare of Italian Heavy Pigs on Farms

Abstract

This review aims to give an overview of the most significant available information on welfare issues of Italian heavy pigs on farms. These animals, whose meat is used to produce typical products, are characterized by much higher body weights and age at slaughter (approximately 160–170 kg, and 9 months of age) than most pigs reared in Europe, resulting in peculiar behavioral and rearing-related needs. To highlight the main findings and the areas in which additional research is needed, the paper was organized by allocating the studies on the basis of the Welfare Quality four principles framework, i.e., good feeding, good housing, good health, and appropriate behavior. The results indicate the possibility of improvement with regard to the management of feeding, watering, and some environmental parameters (light, thermal comfort, enrichments) and a lack of knowledge on the actual space requirements (and a corresponding regulatory gap). Moreover, deficiencies concerning the prevalence of injuries and disease and the relationship between lesions observed post-mortem and rearing conditions needs to be addressed. Lastly, the absence of research concerning the evaluation of the emotional state of animals has been highlighted. It is hoped that these findings will, in the future, serve as a basis for the development of specific policies for these animals in order to increase the ethical value of the entire production chain, in accordance with consumers’ demand and expectation for high animal welfare standards.

Carcass Lesion Severity and Pre-Slaughter Conditions in Heavy Pigs: A Prospective Study at a Commercial Abattoir in Northern Italy

“…Sufficient subcutaneous fat layers and intact skin are essential features for thighs intended to undergo salting and ripening processes [11]. However, the greater slaughter weight and the more advanced age required in heavy pigs may increase the risk of fighting and lesions in heavy pig carcasses [12,13]. Furthermore, heavy pigs reared in the Po Valley are transported for short journeys (<2 h) to reach abattoirs, which may be a factor increasing stress in pigs [14] and predisposing them to aggressive interactions and injuries to the carcass.…”

“…Risk factors contributing to welfare issues and lesions in pigs of about 100 kg live weight have been extensively reported [3,7,15,16]. Despite the high economic value that PDO productions have for Italy, there is little scientific literature concerning the welfare needs of heavy pigs and the risk factors associated with carcass damage [13]. The available literature indicates that several on-farm and pre-slaughter factors are associated with an increased prevalence of carcass lesions.…”

Literature Review on the Pre-Slaughter Welfare of Italian Heavy Pigs

“…Overall, the peculiarities of these pigs (mainly related to their high body weight and rearing technologies) may impact on their physiology and welfare needs [ 8 ]. The aim of this paper is to review the available literature on the welfare of Italian heavy pigs in the pre-slaughter phase and how it could be monitored using ABMs.…”

Analysis of Housing Risk Factors for the Welfare of Lean and Heavy Pigs in a Sample of European Fattening Farms

“…More pig soiling was observed in pigs that were liquid fed, compared to pigs fed with wet and dry feed [7]. Italian heavy pigs are traditionally liquid fed during the entire growing-fattening phase, which is approximately 6 month long [19].…”

“…Slatted floors systems are widely used for pig housing throughout the EU [16]. Fully slatted or partially slatted floors are generally used to house heavy pigs in Italy [19]. They promote pig cleanliness and hygiene by allowing the quick and effective removal of faeces and urine from the pen, although fully slatted floors were found to limit the use of straw as bedding or manipulable material to allow pigs to perform explorative behaviour [16].…”