Pig welfare guidance

Annex 2: Permitted procedures

The mutilation of pigs is prohibited under section 20 of the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006 unless the procedure is an exempt procedure. Under regulation 3 of the Prohibited Procedures on Protected Animals (Exemptions) (Scotland) Regulations 2010 (as amended), certain procedures are exempted from this ban, provided that they are carried out:

• for a purpose which is specified, in relation to any such procedure, in column 2 of the corresponding entry in schedule 2;
• where applicable, in accordance with the relevant conditions in column 1 of schedule 2;
• in such a way as to minimise the pain and suffering it causes to the animal;
• in hygienic conditions; and
• in accordance with good practice.

The permitted procedures for farmed pigs^[1] are listed on the following pages. The lists are correct at the point of publication.

Procedure

Tattooing

Purpose: Identification

Procedure

Ear tagging

Purpose:

1. Identification; or

2. Screening or routine or random testing for disease.

Procedure

Ear notching

Purpose: Identification

Procedure

Micro chipping

Purpose: Identification

Procedure

Vasectomy

Purpose: Controlling reproduction or general animal management

Procedure

Embryo and ovum transfer

Purpose: Controlling reproduction or general animal management

Procedure

Tusk trimming

Purpose: Handler safety or herd welfare

Procedure

Docking of farmed pigs kept on agricultural land

Purpose: Handler safety or herd welfare

Conditions:

1) The procedure may only be performed—

(a) where there is evidence that injuries to the tails of other pigs have occurred and where other measures to improve environmental conditions or management systems have been taken in order to prevent tail-biting; (

b) by the quick and complete severance of the part of the tail to be removed.

2) Where pigs are older than 7 days of age, the procedure must be performed under anaesthetic and additional prolonged analgesia and only by a veterinary surgeon.

Procedure

Uniform reduction of the corner teeth of farmed piglets kept on agricultural land aged 7 days or less by grinding or clipping to leave an intact smooth surface

Purpose: Herd welfare

Condition: The procedure may only be performed where there is evidence of injuries to sows’ teats or to other pigs’ ears or tails and when other measures have been taken to prevent tail-biting and other vices have been exhausted.

Procedure

Nose ringing

Purpose: General animal management

Condition: Nose rings must not be put in animals kept continuously in indoor husbandry systems.

Procedure

Castration

Purpose: Controlling reproduction or general animal management.

Conditions:

1) Castration may only be performed by means other than the tearing of tissues.

2) Where pigs are older than 7 days of age, the procedure must be performed under anaesthetic and additional prolonged analgesia and only by a veterinary surgeon.