The RSPCA opposes the use of traditional single stalls for housing sows during pregnancy. Sow stalls place severe restrictions on the movement, social interactions and behaviour of the sows. In the absence of legislation banning this unacceptable practice, the RSPCA runs public campaigns and lobbies government and industry to try to bring about improvements in the housing conditions for farmed pigs.
By running education campaigns to increase consumer awareness of the issues and ensuring that consumers are provided with welfare-friendly alternatives to traditionally produced pork, the RSPCA aims to create a demand for these welfare-friendly products. This will provide a financial incentive for producers to adopt humane farming practices. The RSPCA has developed a set of standards for welfare-friendly pig production, and pig farms can participate in the RSPCA Approved Farming Scheme if they meet these standards. Among other things, the farm’s practices must provide for the behavioural and physical needs of the pigs. Use of sow stalls is not permitted. Approved pig producers pay a royalty to the RSPCA, which funds further RSPCA activities aiming to improve the welfare of farm animals. View our standards for pig production here: http://www.rspca.org.au/assets/files/ApprovedFarming/PigStandards.pdf. To learn more about the RSPCA Approved Farming Scheme visit: http://www.rspca.org.au/what-we-do/our-work/approved-farming-scheme.html.
The RSPCA contributed to the review of the Australian Model Code of Practice for the Welfare of Animals: Pigs (http://www.publish.csiro.au/books/download.cfm?ID=5698). Model codes of practice set minimum animal welfare guidelines and advise on best practice in the care of livestock for people in the livestock industries. Each code is developed by a group of stakeholders, including industry and animal welfare organisations. Unfortunately, although the revised code for pig welfare made some improvements to the standards for sow stalls, these changes were minor. Sow stalls are still allowed under the code, although for a maximum of 6 weeks, rather than the entire 16 weeks of the sow’s gestation.
The RSPCA continues to lobby government ministers for agriculture on a range of farm animal welfare issues, including the use of sow stalls by pig farmers.
