1. Funding strategies to promote the rearing of pigs with intact tails
Anne-Claire Berentsen
Lower Saxony State Office for Consumer Protection and Food Safety
Animal Welfare Service
Meeting on the rearing of pigs with intact tails
Grange 28th-30th November 2017

2. Pig production in Lower Saxony
One third of German pig production is located in Lower Saxony
8,4 million pigs / 6200 farms
490 thousand sows / 2200 farms
5,8 million fattening pigs/ 5800 farms

3. German national legislation on pig welfare
National legislation is stricter / more precise than Directive 2008/120/EC and Directive 98/58/EC in some requirements including:
stocking density for weaners and fatteners
requirement for cooling facilities
values for gas concentrations
values for ratio of pigs / drinker
values for ratio of pigs / feeding space in ab libitum systems

4. scheme for fattening pigs (2015)
„Curled Tail Bonus“
Funding strategy to enable farmers to keep pigs with intact tails under improved animal welfare standards
(Article 33 Regulation (EU) 1305/2013)
scheme for fattening pigs (2015)
 16,50 euro per undocked fattening pig
scheme for weaning pigs (2017)
 5 euro per undocked weaning pig

5. „Curled Tail Bonus“ – conditions fattening pigs
participation of farmer in animal welfare courses
advisory visit by approved consultant
a maximum of 3000 pigs / year (1000 fattening pigs per round) can be funded
catalogue with animal welfare criteria – participating farms must score a minimum of 10 points on the different criteria

6. „Curled Tail Bonus“ – conditions fattening pigs
at any time 70% of the undocked (funded) pigs should have an intact tail
daily documentation of number of undocked (funded) pigs and number of pigs with tail lesions
examination / scoring by a veterinarian at least once every fattening round or three times every year
unannounced audits are carried out by the Agricultural Chamber at least once per annual funding period

7. „Curled Tail Bonus“ – conditions weaning pigs
Main differences to the scheme for fattening pigs:
at any time 80% of the undocked (funded) pigs should have an intact tail
no limit for the maximum amount of animals
unlimited acces to roughage is mandatory for all participating farms

8. „Curled Tail Bonus“ – examples of criteria
Enrichment materials:
rootable and edible enrichment materials that are accessible for all pigs at the same time
Cleanliness (pen design)
clearly separated functional areas
solid flooring in resting area

9. „Curled Tail Bonus“ – examples of criteria
Thermal comfort and air quality:
Examination of climate parameters and ventilation system at least every six months (gas concentrations every season) by approved expert

10. „Curled Tail Bonus“ – examples of criteria
Competition for food and space:
stocking density:
weaners < 20 kg: 0,25 m2
weaners < 30 kg: 0,5 m2
fatteners > 50 kg: 1,0 m2 or 1,5 m2
feeding system that allows all pigs to eat simultaneously

11. „Curled Tail Bonus“ – examples of criteria
Health:
separation / hospital pens for > 10% of pigs
Diet:
unlimited access to roughage (mandatory criterion for weaners)
fibre content of feed > 4,5% for weaners and > 5% for fatteners

12. „Curled Tail Bonus“ – results
Funding period :
115 participating farms /86 farms were granted funding
Funding period
148 participating farms
Funding period
164 applications for fatteners / 84 applications for weaners
About one third of participating farms organic or animal welfare label farms – two thirds are conventional farms

13. „Curled Tail Bonus“ – Expert Network
Funded by Lower Saxony administration
Objectives:
advice and training for consultants and farmers
exchange of experiences with the rearing of undocked pigs
Currently about 50 approved consultants

14. „Curled Tail Bonus“ – Experiences farmers
Tail-biting outbreaks will occur
Careful observation of pigs is very important
If "warning signals" occur immediate and abundant action is needed
Combinations of enrichment materials are more effective
It can be a challenge to reserve a sufficient number of separation pens
Health problems often trigger tail-biting outbreaks

15. „Curled Tail Bonus“ – Conclusions
Funding schemes can support farmers in making first experiences rearing pigs with intact tails
Support and advice are important but
Sharing of experiences between farmers is even more important
Farmers need to make their own experiences and find solutions for their own farms

16. Questions?