Healthy organic pigs - from birth to slaughter

Background

Organic pigs benefit from more space than pigs raised in conventional production and have access to outdoor exercise in concrete areas or on pasture, which is good for animal welfare. Paradoxically, the greater opportunity for movement can lead to more leg problems in organic than in conventional production.

In Sweden, the same breeds are used in organic pig production as in conventional systems. These breeds are bred for high growth and efficiency and adapted for an intensive production system where pigs are kept in smaller indoor pens. There is no separate breeding program for organic pig production in Sweden, and it is not realistic to have one at the present time. However, some adaptation of the animal material can already be made at herd level. This requires increased cooperation along the different stages of the production chain and registration of important traits at the individual animal level in organic herds. Such cooperation, with expanded registrations at the individual level, can also be a first step towards future breeding work for organic production.

Animals adapted for more movement

Previous studies show that organic pigs have a higher risk of joint problems, such as osteochondrosis, than pigs from conventional production, despite using the same breeds. Osteochondrosis is affected by many factors, but a more challenging environment and increased activity in organic pigs may be part of the explanation. Having organic pigs with leg problems contradicts the ambition to have good animal welfare in organic production, and consumers expect animal welfare to be extra good for organic pigs. The selection of parent animals could therefore contribute to adapting the animal material to the environment in organic production.

Aims of the project

This collaborative project will contribute to a strong cooperation along the organic pig production chain, which will enable registrations from herds and slaughterhouses to be used to adapt the animal material.

It will provide increased knowledge about how leg problems are related to growth, classification and risk of slaughter marks, as well as how management routines and the environment on organic farms affect leg problems and slaughter remarks. We will also gain knowledge about how piglets treated for leg problems do later on (when they are finisher pigs) with regards to leg health.

About this project

Individual records of the health of the pigs from birth to slaughter and detailed descriptions of the environment in which the pigs are raised will be gathered by the farmers during the production stage. Information on growth, classification and slaughter remarks will be collected at the slaughterhouse.

This project is run in close collaboration with the farmer organisation Jord på Trynet, the advisory company HIR Skåne and the slaughterhouse Skövde Slakteri.