This report finds that, although the pig industry is highly competitive and is well known for being cyclical, the last ten years have seen a steady decline in the scale and productivity of the English pig industry and an increase in the pig meat imported into the UK to satisfy consumer demand. The lack of transparency in the supply chain leads farmers to form the view that they are not getting their fair share. UK pigs cost more to produce than their EU counterparts. The industry blames this on the effects of disease outbreaks, high feed prices, burdensome environmental regulations and the high cost of the introduction of new welfare standards of housing for pigs in 1999. Pig producers are rightly proud of their high welfare standards, but the Committee believes that they have not successfully promoted to the consumer the justification for the higher cost of English pig meat. Retailers and catering suppliers are responsible for ensuring that labelling of pig meat products is clear and unambiguous, but producers, animal welfare groups such as the RSPCA, and Government, have a role in making certain that consumers understand the difference between the standards of welfare in the various methods of pig production and ensuring that pig meat produced in the UK is of a high welfare standard. Defra must continue to: advise other Government departments and public bodies on the welfare standards of farm assurance schemes in order to encourage them to adopt a more innovative approach in public sector procurement of pig meat; liaise closely with the industry on its Health and Welfare Council; fund research into the pig-specific diseases which have severely impacted on the industry in recent years.

The science and practice of pig production has changed rapidly overrecent decades; new husbandry practices, new understandings ofgrowth, reproduction and health, new appreciations of welfare andenvironmental impact, new nutritional approaches, and modernreproductive and genetic techniques have all come into being,together with the emergence of new health challenges. Now in its third edition, this long established reference bookon the management, breeding, feeding, nutrition, health and welfareof pigs has been fully revised to provide clear and currentinformation on both the practical and scientific aspects of the pigindustry. With the help of a new panel of international experts anda senior editor, the overall structure now contains input frominternational centres across Europe and North America. This edition includes: Updated versions of existing chapters; Completely revised and new sections on: Pig meat and carcassquality, Reproduction, The maintenance of health, Nutritional valueof protein and amino acids in feed stuffs, Value of fats and oilsin pig diets, Product marketing, Environmental management,Simulation modelling; Input from international authorities; Many tables, diagrams, photographs and figures.

A collection of moving and soulful portraits of beloved farm animals, alongside surprising facts, entertaining anecdotes, and captivating histories of these heritage breeds on American farms. “The beauty and breadth of heritage animal breeds is on full display in this delightful and gorgeous book.”—Isabella Rossellini, actress and author of My Chickens and I Animal lovers, homesteaders, eco-conscious consumers, and fans of beautiful photography alike will cherish the charm of On the Farm’s stunning portraits and stories. With over 150 photographs, renowned animal photographer Aliza Eliazarov invites us to take a closer look at the animal breeds taking center stage in the regenerative farming movement. Along with fun facts about the domesticated animals who have shaped and changed our world—goats, sheep, cows, horses, donkeys, llamas, alpacas, pigs, chickens, turkeys, ducks, geese, and farm dogs—On the Farm features sometimes quirky, sometimes harrowing personal tales of amazing animals. Meet Bilbo, the donkey in love with truck tires; Kurt, the diminutive Angora goat with a miraculous birth story;and Princess Peppermint, an anxious pig with a taste for cocktails. The focus on rare and heritage breeds will enlighten and inform you about the astonishing variety of livestock and poultry, as well as the impact that the loss of this biodiversity is having on global food security. Equal parts fine art and field guide, shot entirely on location at small farms and homesteads, On the Farm delivers us to the pastoral with an enjoyable meditation on the animals that civilization has grown alongside.

Swine flu. Bird flu. Unusual concentrations of cancer and other diseases. Massive fish kills from flesh-eating parasites. Recalls of meats, vegetables, and fruits because of deadly E-coli bacterial contamination. Recent public health crises raise urgent questions about how our animal-derived food is raised and brought to market. In Animal Factory, bestselling investigative journalist David Kirby exposes the powerful business and political interests behind large-scale factory farms, and tracks the far-reaching fallout that contaminates our air, land, water, and food. In this thoroughly researched book, Kirby follows three families and communities whose lives are utterly changed by immense neighboring animal farms. These farms (known as "Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations," or CAFOs), confine thousands of pigs, dairy cattle, and poultry in small spaces, often under horrifying conditions, and generate enormous volumes of fecal and biological waste as well as other toxins. Weaving science, politics, law, big business, and everyday life, Kirby accompanies these families in their struggles against animal factories. A North Carolina fisherman takes on pig farms upstream to preserve his river, his family's life, and his home. A mother in a small Illinois town pushes back against an outsized dairy farm and its devastating impact. And a Washington State grandmother becomes an unlikely activist when her home is invaded by foul odors and her water supply is compromised by runoff from leaking lagoons of cattle waste. Animal Factory is an important book about our American food system gone terribly wrong---and the people who are fighting to restore sustainable farming practices and save our limited natural resources.

Multi-site Pig Production is the first comprehensive description of the most profound changes that have occurred in swine production methodology in many years. Dr Harris is singularly qualified to write this book because he has played a pivotal role in the development of multi-site rearing techniques that are being applied throughout the world. This book provides final definition for a variety of terms being used to describe swine production methods. A standardised nomenclature facilitates more accurate future interactions between participants in swine production systems that involve multiple sites, buildings, and rooms with different age groups and functions.

Small-scale Outdoor Pig Breeding is a comprehensive guide to breeding and rearing pigs in natural conditions without compromising their well-being. The book provides support for novice pig-keepers hoping to breed their own pigs. Moreover, it also acts as a valuable reference for more experienced breeders and offers information about different breeds of pigs and their respective needs. Topics covered include: choosing a breed; selecting a boar; hogging and mating; gestation care; farrowing; and hand rearing. This invaluable reference guide to breeding and rearing pigs is aimed at all pig-keepers, whether novice or more experienced, and also smallholders, farmers and rare breed enthusiasts. Fully illustrated with 77 colour photographs and diagrams.

The important management techniques of the most successful pig producers today are made available in this textbook through the practical advice of an award-winning pig consultant. The book describes and analyzes likely future developments and how they might fit into the economic scene—incorporating a unique econometric (cost-effective) interpretation in addition to research and field trial performance results. The groundbreaking “Business Management” section is based on the experience of advising on some 3,500 pig farms across 32 countries and is just one of the many in-depth features of this essential guide.

This is a fully comprehensive handbook providing a clear and informative guide to the management, health and welfare of pigs. Practical elements of the text are derived from worldwide knowledge of production practices at farm level, while scientific aspects are dealt with in depth to allow full understanding. The information is presented in a style that encourages both practical and scientific reference. The text is illustrated throughout with tables, diagrams, photographs and figures, and the information is clearly presented, enabling immediate scientific and practical use.