Group housing for sows
Welfare issues concerning pig housing are becoming prominent in North America. The US and Canada are rapidly moving away from the use of gestation crates for sows – following similar developments in the European Union six years ago. In this series, Pig Progress takes a closer look, into the alternatives and into the sows’ needs.

Minerals in feed: Less is more
The livestock sector emerges as a significant contributor to environmental concerns. Firstly, through the excretion of greenhouse gases and secondly, due to the excessive amount of minerals released into the environment. During a two-day meeting in Geneva, 250 experts extensively discussed how to tackle these concerns.

Piglets get VIP treatment in Italy
Welfare issues concerning pigs are high on the agenda in northern Europe but generally not of
great concern the further south of the continent. However, Italian producer Giuseppe Papetti has embraced group housing of dry sows, a loose farrowing system and straw bedding for weaners.

Religious beliefs could determmine future of pork
The future looks promising for the pork meat industry. For the poultry industry, however, the
future looks even better. Religious beliefs could cause poultry to become the No. 1 meat in the world within the next 30 years. At the latest Victam in the Netherlands, Luciano Roppa
shared his analysis.

European wake-up call lifts Dutch interest in toys
Judging the usefulness of pig welfare materials should not stop at the evaluation of pig wellbeing. What about the implications for farm management? Research at Wageningen University attempts to consider these aspects.

Towards a more ‘humane’ castration for piglets
Affluent consumers are becoming increasingly concerned about how pigs are reared; this means the practice of male piglet castration is a growing issue. As the practice is considered
necessary, there is a growing need to find ‘humane’ ways of piglet castration. How to do that? Here’s a summary of the options.

A wave of pig investments at VIV Russia
The third edition of the VIV Russia took place from 21-23 May in Moscow. With over 200 exhibitors, it was the ideal event to measure the dynamics of the Russian pig sector.

Reducing the use of antimicrobials
The use of a vaccination can significantly reduce the use of antimicrobials in pig farming. Recent studies show that even with a reduction of antimicrobial use, pigs can grow faster and
more consistently when compared to that of control groups.