By Deanna Harris
SAFE are calling the four-year phase-out of sow stalls a victory, but are disappointed that farrowing crates are excluded.
The Animal Welfare (Pigs) Code of Welfare 2010 will come into effect on Friday. It limits the use of sow crates to four weeks after mating by 2012, and prohibited by the end of 2015.
SAFE director Hans Kriek says for the past two decades the organisation has campaigned against factory farming practices, focusing on sow stalls and farrowing crates.
Agriculture Minister David Carter announced the code yesterday, and says those were concerns he shared.
“The growing unease of many New Zealanders about the use of sow stalls, which I share, made it clear that change was necessary; the science also supports this,” Mr Carter said.
While Mr Kriek welcomes the decision, there are some aspects SAFE are not so happy with.
“The five-year phase-out period still means that over 15,000 sows will continue to suffer in sow stalls until 2016.
“It is great to know sow stalls are finally going after so much lobbying and campaigning but we remain mindful that pigs are not yet free."
Mr Carter says the five-ear phase out will allow farmers to change their production systems and train staff in new management skills.
Now that sow stalls are banned, SAFE are focusing on the use of farrowing crates, which they say are just as cruel and used in 60 percent of the pig industry.
“Research shows these confinement systems are just as cruel as sow stalls," says Mr Kriek.
And it seems Mr Carter agrees.
“While the National Animal Welfare Advisory Committee believes that the use of farrowing crates should also be phased out, it recognises this can only happen when alternative management systems and technologies are in place,” says Mr Carter.
Dry sow stalls are currently used in most countries – including the US, Canada and most of the European Union – but the Australian pork industry has recently voted to phase out the sow stalls by 2017.
The new code calls for the use of sow stalls after mating to be limited to four weeks by December 3, 2012, and a complete prohibition by the same date in 2015.
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