Committees tasked with updating Canada’s Code of Practice for the Care and Handling of Pigs have identified five priority welfare issues that will shape the scientific review and future revisions to the code.
Members of both the Pig Code Committee and the Scientific Committee met for the first time in person recently in Ottawa.
The five priority welfare areas are::
1. Enrichment strategies, with an emphasis on practical, on-farm application.
2. Housing and functional space, considering both quantity and quality of space.
3. Pain control, including a detailed review of specific procedures and mitigation approaches
4. Lameness, focusing on prevention, identification, and management
5. Euthanasia methods, including a review of current practices and emerging science
Each topic will undergo a comprehensive scientific review to inform future code decisions.
The committees will work through the scientific findings to:
· Identify areas where improvements may be warranted
· Evaluate current requirements and recommended practices
· Work toward consensus-based updates to the code
