Instant Insights: Improving Piglet Welfare: (18 Burleigh Dodds Science: Instant Insights)

This collection features four peer-reviewed literature reviews on improving piglet welfare. The first chapter reviews the main welfare challenges faced during farrowing and lactation, including the occurrence of painful husbandry procedures, such as tooth resection, tail docking and castration. The chapter also highlights various mitigation strategies that can be implemented to optimise the welfare of both sows and piglets in the farrowing environment. The second chapter addresses some of the main welfare concerns that can arise during the weaning and nursery stage as a result of separation between piglet and sow and exposure to a new environment. The chapter also summarises the most important fields of environmental, nutritional and social stress and how these experiences can be mitigated with the correct strategies. The third chapter considers the demand for improved welfare and animal handling systems from governments, non-governmental organisations and consumers. The chapter reviews recent advancements in technology that have the potential to improve animal wellbeing, profitability and performance during the weaning period. The final chapter discusses the main etiological agents acting in the period of transition from weaning, the risk factors for their introduction and diffusion within the farm and the main measures available for their control.

Table of Contents:
Chapter 1 - Optimising sow and piglet welfare during farrowing and lactation: Emma M. Baxter, Animal Behaviour and Welfare Team, Animal and Veterinary Sciences Research Group, SRUC, UK; and Sandra Edwards, Newcastle University, UK; 1 Introduction 2 Welfare challenges during farrowing and lactation 3 Mitigating welfare challenges 4 Conclusions 5 Future trends in research 6 Where to look for further information 7 References Chapter taken from: Edwards, S. (ed.), Understanding the behaviour and improving the welfare of pigs, Burleigh Dodds Science Publishing, Cambridge, UK, 2021, (ISBN 978 1 78676 443 0) Chapter 2 Optimising pig welfare at the weaning and nursery stage: Nicole Kemper, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Germany; 1 Introduction 2 Minimising the impact of weaning 3 Optimised management: the human key factor 4 Conclusion 5 Future trends in research 6 Where to look for further information 7 References Chapter taken from: Edwards, S. (ed.), Understanding the behaviour and improving the welfare of pigs, Burleigh Dodds Science Publishing, Cambridge, UK, 2021, (ISBN 978 1 78676 443 0) Chapter 3 Welfare of weaned piglets: Arlene Garcia and John J. McGlone, Texas Tech University, USA; 1 Introduction 2 Pre-weaning mortality 3 Weaning stress 4 Painful practices: castration and ear notching/tagging 5 Painful practices: tail docking and teeth clipping/resection 6 Transportation 7 New technologies 8 Conclusion 9 Where to look for further information 10 References Chapter taken from: Wiseman, J. (ed.), Achieving sustainable production of pig meat – Volume 3: Animal health and welfare, Burleigh Dodds Science Publishing, Cambridge, UK, 2018, (ISBN 978 1 78676 096 8) Chapter 4 Optimising the health of weaned piglets: Andrea Luppi, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell’Emilia Romagna (IZSLER), Italy; 1 Introduction 2 Transition from weaning: factors influencing health and performance of pigs 3 Transition from weaning: intervention and prevention strategies 4 Weaning transition and infectious agents 5 Viruses acting in the period of transition from weaning as immunosuppressive agents 6 Example of diseases recognising risk factors and prevention strategies in the transition from weaning 7 Conclusion and future trends 8 Where to look for further information 9 References Chapter taken from: Maes, D. and Segalés, J. (eds.), Optimising pig herd health and production, Burleigh Dodds Science Publishing, Cambridge, UK, 2022, (ISBN 978 1 78676 883 4)

About the Author :
Dr Sandra Edwards is Emerita Professor in the School of Natural and Environmental Sciences at Newcastle University, UK. Professor Edwards is widely regarded as one of the world’s leading experts on pig welfare with over 200 publications in the field. She has won numerous awards, including from organisations such as UFAW, EAAP, RSPCA and BSAS. She is a former President of the British Society of Animal Science, a Fellow of the Royal Agricultural Society of England, as well as a former member of the UK Farm Animal Welfare Council and the Animal Health and Welfare Panel of the European Food Safety Agency.