Much research-based knowledge on animal welfare exists. The most recent knowledge in the area has now been gathered in a new textbook about welfare in pigs: “Animal welfare in practice: Pigs”. The book is the first in a series about welfare in domestic animals to be published and is targeted people working with farmed animal production. The book provides an international perspective and give insight into the pig sector in Europe, Latin America, Asia, Australia and Africa.

In general, the book series focuses on

• explaining animal welfare
• which economic aspects are connected to animal welfare
• how we can measure and assess animal welfare
• overview of  legislation  relevant for  animal welfare.

Furthermore, methods for how farmers can improve animal welfare in practice are specified.

Five AU researchers have contributed

The editors have chosen to include five researchers from Department of Animal Science, Aarhus University, as authors to “Animal welfare in practice: Pigs”, each within their fields of expertise: Mona L. V. Larsen and Lene Juul Pedersen have written a section about tail biting and how tail posture of pigs can be part of the surveillance of  welfare. Cecilie Kobek-Kjeldager and Lene Juul Pedersen have contributed with a section on mortality in piglets prior to weaning and the effects of large litter sizes. Mette S. Herskin and Hanne Kongsted have written about shoulder ulcers and udder lesions in sows. Finally, Mette S. Herskin has written the section on cull sows and potential challenges regarding welfare of this group of animals.

“University level-teaching in animal welfare must be based on an international research level. I am therefore truly happy that our busy researchers prioritise contributions to textbooks. The strong input from the department’s welfare researchers indicates that our researchers are internationally acknowledged and that they are trusted to disseminate their research results and their production practice insight for educational purposes”, says professor and head of the Animal Welfare section Jan Tind Sørensen, Department of Animal Science, Aarhus University.

You can read more about the book and order it via this link: https://thepigsite.com/articles/practical-solutions-for-improving-welfare-on-commercial-and-small-scale-farms

More information

Jan Tind Sørensen, Department of Animal Science

Email: jts@anis.au.dk