Office of Public Sector Information
SCHEDULE 8 continued PART 3
19. Boar pens must be sited and constructed so as to allow the boar to turn around and to hear, see and smell other pigs, and must contain clean resting areas.
20. The lying area must be dry and comfortable.
21.—(1) Subject to sub-paragraph (2), the minimum unobstructed floor area for a boar must be 6 m2.
(2) When boar pens are also used for natural service, the floor area must be at least 10 m2 and must be free of any obstacles.
22. Pregnant sows and gilts must, where necessary, be treated against external and internal parasites.
23. Pregnant sows and gilts must be thoroughly cleaned before being placed in farrowing crates.
24. In the week before the expected farrowing time, sows and gilts must be given suitable nesting material in sufficient quantity unless it is not technically feasible for the slurry system used.
25. During farrowing, an unobstructed area behind the sow or gilt must be available for the ease of natural or assisted farrowing.
26. Farrowing pens where sows or gilts are kept loose must have some means of protecting the piglets, such as farrowing rails.
27. Sows and gilts must be kept in groups except during the period between seven days before the predicted day of farrowing and the day on which the weaning of piglets (including any piglets fostered) is complete.
28. The pen where the group is kept must have sides greater than 2.8 m in length, except when there are six or fewer individuals in the group, when the sides of the pen must be no less than 2.4 m in length.
29. The unobstructed floor area available to each gilt after service and to each sow when gilts and/or sows are kept in groups must be at least 1.64 m2 and 2.25 m2 respectively. When these animals are kept in groups of six or fewer individuals, the unobstructed floor area must be increased by 10%. When these animals are kept in groups of 40 or more individuals, the unobstructed floor area may be decreased by 10%.
30. For gilts after service and pregnant sows, a part of the area required in paragraph 29 equal to at least 0.95 m2 per gilt and at least 1.3 m2 per sow must be of continuous solid floor of which a maximum of 15% is reserved for drainage openings.
31. Sows and gilts kept on holdings of 10 or fewer sows may be kept individually provided that their accommodation complies with the requirements of paragraphs 5 and 6 of this Schedule.
32. In addition to the requirements of paragraph 13 of this Schedule, sows and gilts must be fed using a system which ensures that each individual can obtain sufficient food even when competitors for the food are present.
33. All dry pregnant sows and gilts must be given a sufficient quantity of bulky or high-fibre food as well as high-energy food to satisfy their hunger and need to chew.
34. Where a farrowing crate system is used, piglets must be provided with a source of heat and a solid, dry and comfortable lying area away from the sow where all of them can rest at the same time.
35. A part of the floor area where the piglets are kept, and which is large enough to allow the animals to rest together at the same time, must be solid or covered with a mat, or be littered with straw or other suitable material.
36. Where a farrowing crate system is used, the piglets must have sufficient space so they can be suckled without difficulty.
37. Subject to paragraph 38, piglets must not be weaned from the sow at an age less than 28 days, unless the health or welfare of the sow or piglets would otherwise be adversely affected.
38. Piglets may be weaned up to seven days earlier than the age referred to in paragraph 37 if they are moved into specialised housing which is—
(a) emptied and thoroughly cleaned and disinfected before the introduction of a new group; and
(b) separate from housing where other sows are kept.
39. As soon as possible after weaning, weaners and rearing pigs must be kept in stable groups, with as little mixing as possible.
40. If weaners and rearing pigs unfamiliar with one another have to be mixed—
(a) this must if possible be done before weaning or up to one week after weaning, or otherwise when the pigs are as young as possible; and
(b) they must be provided with adequate opportunities to escape and hide from other pigs.
41. The use of tranquilising medication in order to facilitate mixing must be limited to exceptional conditions and only after consultation with a veterinary surgeon.
42. If there are signs of severe fighting, the causes must be immediately investigated and appropriate measures taken.
43. The unobstructed floor area available to each weaner or rearing pig reared in a group must be at least—
(a) 0.15 m2 for each pig where the average weight of the pigs in the group is 10 kg or less;
(b) 0.20 m2 for each pig where the average weight of the pigs in the group is more than 10 kg, but less than or equal to 20 kg;
(c) 0.30 m2 for each pig where the average weight of the pigs in the group is more than 20 kg but less than or equal to 30 kg;
(d) 0.40 m2 for each pig where the average weight of the pigs in the group is more than 30 kg but less than or equal to 50 kg;
(e) 0.55 m2 for each pig where the average weight of the pigs in the group is more than 50 kg but less than or equal to 85 kg;
(f) 0.65 m2 for each pig where the average weight of the pigs in the group is more than 85 kg but less than or equal to 110 kg; and
(g) 1.00 m2 for each pig where the average weight of the pigs in the group is more than 110 kg.
The Welfare of Farmed Animals (Wales) Regulations 2007