Welfare in pig housing - Brazilian and Portuguese legislation

Abstract

Animal welfare is conditional on well-planned and well-managed exploitation, since the management of the animals strongly influences their behavior, their productivity and, consequently, the yield and quality of the final product. In this study, an investigative review was carried out of the literature, governmental databases and main institutions relating to animal welfare, seeking to highlight and discuss differences in legislation between Brazil and Portugal, in view of the interest and concern of the scientific community and the consumer market in relation to methods used for animal production. In Brazil, there is no specific legislation on the welfare of pigs and other related legislation is used as a basis. However, Portugal has more specific legislation on the subject. Considering the dissemination of knowledge and the growing concern with animal welfare in the European consumer market, it is noted that the need for its application standards that ensure animal welfare in production/breeding, possibly becoming a basic requirement in the coming years. However, Brazilian pig farms, like all other animal production activities, are still lacking specific legislation that is appropriate for Brazil, which ends up delaying the effective practice of welfare in productions, abstaining from the population of information about the activity. New studies are needed to ascertain the necessity and applicability of the legislation, and whether the legislation is effective in improving animal welfare or serves only to increase bureaucracy.

Producers' knowledge and perception about environmental enrichment and materials used in pig farms

“…The provision of substrates considered optimal is not always feasible for farmers (Nannoni et al, 2016). The lack of national regulations on the use of EE also helps producers to opt for more economical and practical materials, which, however, do not always fulfil the behavioral needs of the pigs (von Keyserlingk and Hötzel, 2015;Horback et al, 2016;Cecchin et al, 2018).…”

Applicability evaluation of a demand-controlled ventilation system in livestock

“…Moreover, many pollutants are generated in the pigsty because of livestock manure ( Banhazi et al, 2011 ), and this can have a significant effect on the productivity of the pigsty ( Banhazi and Cargill, 1998 , Lee et al, 2005 ). In conjunction with these factors, there has been a steady increase in the demand for animal welfare ( Velarde et al, 2015 , Cecchin et al, 2018 , O’Malley et al, 2019 ). Thus, there is a trend of increasing interest in the application and operation of ventilation systems to ensure a comfortable environment in the pigsty.…”

State of humoral immunity in lactating sows and suckling piglets

“…The viability of newborn piglets largely depends on the adequacy of intrauterine development and immune status. The immaturity of the immune system registered in them is compensated by passive immunity transmitted by immunoglobulins (antibodies) and cellular factors of colostrum (milk) protection from sows [1][2][3][4], the productive health of which is ensured by nutritious balanced feeding and optimal keeping conditions [5][6][7][8].…”