Pig welfare guidance

Annex 1: Legislation

The main requirements are summarised below. This does not represent an exhaustive list and note that some legislation is regularly updated and / or amended. All UK legislation can be found at: legislation.gov.uk

The Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006

The Welfare of Farmed Animals (Scotland) Regulations 2010

The Prohibited Procedures on Protected Animals (Exemptions) (Scotland) Regulations 2010

Specific sections:

Introduction:

Dangerous Wild Animals Act 1976

Disease control and biosecurity:

Pigs (Records, Identification and Movement) (Scotland) Order 2011

Animal Health Act 1981

Trade in Animals and Related Products (Scotland) Regulations 2012

Diseases of Swine Regulations 2014 – covers disease controls for the three main diseases.

Aujeszky’s Disease Order 1983

Foot-and-mouth disease (Scotland) Order 2006

Loading, unloading and transport:

Council Regulation (EC) No 1/2005 (the protection of animals during transport and related operations)

The Welfare of Animals (Transport) (Scotland) Regulations 2006

Marking:

The Pigs (Records, Identification and Movement) (Scotland) Order 2011

(Also see legislation in connection to mutilations / permitted procedures, below)

On farm killing:

The Welfare of Animals at the Time of Killing (Scotland) Regulations 2012 (as amended) – provides for the enforcement in Scotland of the requirements under Council Regulation (EC) No 199/2009 on the protection of animals at the time of killing, and also contains additional national rules.

Council Regulation (EC) No 1099/2009 (on the protection of animals at the time of killing). Also see Chapter II article 3 paragraphs 1 and 2 (General requirements for killing and related operations) and Chapter III article 19 (Emergency killing).

The Welfare of Animals (Slaughter or Killing) Regulations 1995

Animal By-Products:

Council Regulation (EC) No 1069/2009 – controls on disposal of animal by-products

Commission Regulation (EU) No 142/2011 – requirements for storage, transport and disposal of animal by-products, such as dead carcases, manure and litter.

The EU regulations are implemented by:

The Animal By-Products (Enforcement) (Scotland) Regulations 2013

Responsible medicines usage and record keeping:

The Veterinary Medicines Regulations 2013 and The Veterinary Medicines (Amendment) Regulations 2014 require keepers of food-producing animals to keep records on medicine acquisition, usage, administration and disposal. Records concerning the acquisition of a product must be kept for at least 5 years following the administration or disposal of that product. The Regulations also describe the ‘cascade’ system, the duties on suppliers of medicines and records that they are required to keep, including a private veterinary surgeon.

The Welfare of Farmed Animals (Scotland) Regulations 2010 sets out requirements on recording what medicine is administered and when (for welfare purposes) and applies to all farm animals.

Record keeping requirements are additionally set out in

• The Animals and Animal Products (Examination for Residues and Maximum Residue Limits) Regulations 1997, regulation 32.
• Commission Regulation (EU) No 37/2010 on pharmacologically active substances and their classification regarding maximum residue limits in foodstuffs of animal origin.

Mutilations:

The Prohibited Procedures on Protected Animals (Exemptions) (Scotland) Regulations 2010 allow a number of procedures to be carried out on specified animals, including pigs, under certain circumstances. (See Annex 2)

The Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966 prohibits the performance of a vasectomy or the carrying out of electro-ejaculation by anyone other than a veterinary surgeon.