ANIMAL WELFARE activists are urging pig farmers to stop breeding piglets 'immediately' as pressure builds on slaughtering capacity across the UK.

Compassion in World Farming has called on the Government to work with the pig industry to reduce herds to an 'ongoing viable level' to meet reduced slaughter capacity – and to compensate those who cooperate or chose to leave the industry altogether.

The animal welfare lobbying group said that a reduction in pig numbers would be in line with the recent Dimbleby and Committee on Climate Change reports recommending reduced meat consumption in the UK, in order to 'avert a climate catastrophe'.

Its UK head, Nick Palmer, said: “CIWF is deeply concerned about the continuing lack of slaughter facilities for pigs and is urging farmers to stop breeding further piglets immediately, with losses compensated by the Government.

“What’s needed is a new blueprint for a reformed, viable pig sector and this current situation provides an ideal opportunity to reform the British pig sector to a sustainable level," he continued. "This should involve reducing herds in a planned way to match the slaughter capacity, for the sake of both pig welfare and to bring about a much-needed reduction in meat consumption to help meet vital climate targets.

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“Pigs should also be fed by-products and unavoidable food waste rather than cereals and soy that fuel deforestation and loss of wildlife habitat in places like the Amazon and Indonesia," he suggested.

“Improved pig welfare should be an inherent part of a pig industry fit for a sustainable future. This means no factory farming, a phase out of farrowing crates, an end to the use of sows producing large litters and full compliance with the ban on routine tail docking. And this must be safeguarded by the introduction of a ban on the import of all pork products produced to welfare standards lower than in the UK.”

British pigs are most commonly slaughtered using high levels of CO2 gas which CIWF claims causes unnecessary pain, suffering and severe respiratory distress, and have called for a ban on this method of slaughter.

They are also calling for any on-farm slaughter of pigs to be carried out by professional slaughtermen, knackermen or vets, and for electric tongs to be the preferable method – and where this isn’t available, captive bolt followed by pithing.