ADAS is looking for pig producers to take part in a research project that could form the basis of future Government schemes to incentivise better welfare on pig farms.
Funding is set to be available under the Pig Health and Welfare Pathway for various welfare enhancements and the options are currently being assessed by agricultural and environmental consultant, ADAS. It is working with the University of Bristol and the Royal Agriculture University to collect farm-level data on the welfare benefits and economic costs of welfare enhancements.
ADAS livestock consultant John Walton said: “We are looking for pig farmers to take part in a Defra-funded research project to inform development of future voluntary funding schemes to support farmers in delivering animal welfare enhancements.
“We are looking for farmers that have welfare enhancements in place and are achieving good animal welfare.”
In particular, the researchers would like to speak to farmers who have:
- Free-farrowing systems
- Temporary crate systems
- Keep pigs with intact tails
- Straw bedded systems
Farmers will need to be able to provide access to good welfare and performance records and be willing to discuss their experience of implementing higher welfare enhancements.
Participation in the project entails completing an online survey to collect background information on your farming system and the animal welfare enhancements in place, as well as the results achieved.
There will be then be a follow up telephone or virtual call to gather more detailed information on the impact of the welfare enhancements on costs (upfront and ongoing) and returns, and welfare benefits those enhancements deliver.
Each farmer will be paid £100 for taking part.
“Data collected will remain entirely confidential and contribute to an anonymous dataset for analysis. Neither the farm nor any individual associated with it will be identifiable in any of the results that will be published or stored,” Mr Walton added. “We would be really grateful for your assistance with this importance piece of research.”
If you are interested in taking part please get in contact with Jon Walton:
Email: Ian.Snowden@adas.co.uk Phone: 07774 224851