Pork Pool Standards

  1. Housing and Environment

    2. Housing should be a place where animals are protected and safe from injury. Adequate indoor space should be provided for lying, exercise, rooting and other natural behaviors. Housing is especially important during the winter, when freezing cold and dangerous weather may pose a risk. Adding environmental enrichments is more important when animals are housed, as they may not have the space and variety available in a foraging or pasture area.

    1. Housing

      2. Intent: CROPP recognizes there are many methods of housing swine. There is no perfect housing system. Proper management of each housing type is the key to animal comfort, freedom from injury and longevity. Each housing type has advantages and disadvantages for the swine as well as producers. Swine health and comfort are directly related to profitability.

      Standard: Slatted floor areas may not exceed 25 percent of the total floor area available, to provide comfort and prevent hoof injuries. Maintain housing so as not to inflict injuries or pose risk to swine or animal handlers. It must be possible to remove animals quickly in case of emergency. Every farrowing sow on pasture or in a foraging area should have its own hut or area in a building. The minimum space for each sow with piglets is eight feet by six feet.

    2. Indoor Square Footage

      3. Intent: Swine should have enough space to ensure their comfort and well-being. All swine should be clean, dry, comfortable and able to lie down fully stretched, stand up, turn around, groom and express other natural behaviors. Ample space helps minimize aggressive behaviors and reduces competition for feed.

      Standard: Crates, stalls and tethers are prohibited. Swine require greater space per animal as they grow.

      Space requirement per animal by live weight and pen size for 20 head

      Live Weight

      Multiplication Factor

      Space/Animal

      Pen Size for 20 Head

      20 lbs.

      0.06

      1.2 sq. ft.

      6.0 x 4.0 sq. ft.

      50

      0.06

      3.0

      8.0 x 7.5

      100

      0.06

      6.0

      12.0 x 10.0

      150

      0.06

      9.0

      14.0 x 12.8

      200

      0.06

      12.0

      16.0 x 15.0

      225

      0.06

      13.5

      18.0 x 15.0

      250

      0.06

      15.0

      18.0 x 16.6

      275

      0.06

      16.5

      18 x 18.3

       

      • Farrowing sows should have a minimum of 48 square feet per animal for no more than two weeks before moving to group lactation pens.
      • Sows and piglets must be provided with clean, dry bedding at all times.
      • During the winter, boars must be provided with deep bedding and may not be isolated from other swine.

       

    3. Hoop Shelter

      4. Intent: Hoop shelters provide shade, shelter and protection from inclement weather while allowing swine to live in family or social groups in a deep straw bed.

      Standard: Hoop shelters must comply with the Indoor Square Footage standard and provide a minimum of two square feet per animal outside.

    4. Lighting

      5. Intent: Providing eight hours of darkness maximizes production, reproduction, animal well-being and economic viability. Sunlight should be part of the light source whenever possible. While maximizing sunlight may not be feasible in existing facilities, every effort should be made to include natural light in new construction.

      Standard:Periods of light and darkness should follow diurnal seasonal patterns. Artificial light may not extend total daytime exposure beyond 16 hours and may not be greater than 50 lux. Red light, including heat lamps, is permitted during the dark period.

    5. Ammonia Ventilation

      6. Intent: Wet manure is naturally high in ammonia. High ammonia levels (25 parts per million) can have detrimental effects on the respiratory system and burn eyes, for humans as well as swine or any other livestock. Therefore, adequate ventilation systems or other appropriate means to minimize ammonia levels are necessary. Draeger tubes or other devices can be used to measure ammonia levels within buildings. If a problem is detected, a minimum of three measurements from different locations within the building at swine level should be taken.

      Standard: The maximum ammonia level should be less than 25 ppm at any time, aiming for less than 10 ppm levels overall.

      Recommendation: Ridge vents help remove ammonia and moisture. Ventilation is especially important during the winter – temperature inside the facility is balanced with the air exchange necessary to minimize ammonia levels and keep bedding dry.

    6. Dust Ventilation

      7. Intent: High levels of respirable dust can have detrimental effects on the respiratory system, for humans as well as animals. Adequate ventilation systems or appropriate means to minimize respirable dust levels are paramount.

      Standard: The maximum allowable dust level is less than 10 mg per cubic meter.

    7. Outdoor Access

      8. Intent: Outdoor access maximizes animal health and immunity as they get exercise, sunlight, fresh air and contact with the earth. Access to the outdoors allows swine to express natural behaviors and relieve boredom. Foraging and pasture areas may include bushes, crop stubble, grasses, herbs or legumes. Quality pasture provides superior nutrition for swine.

      Standard: Piglets must have outdoor access at all times during daylight hours by two weeks of age, when it is seasonally appropriate. Continuous access is required at all times for other swine. Access to the outdoors is defined as an area with no ceiling. Edible vegetation must be available at all times in foraging or pasture areas to encourage foraging and rooting. Seasonal conditions may require hay, haylage, silage or other edible supplementation. Swine in outdoor systems may be housed when the pasture or forage area is unsuitable (seasonally) during extreme weather conditions or for seven days around farrowing.

    8. Shade

      9. Intent: Shade is vitally important for swine, as they do not have sweat glands and sunburn easily. White swine are especially prone to sunburn. Swine will instinctively use mud wallows for cooling and to prevent sunburn. Swine may suffer heat stroke and death when heat is extreme. Producers are encouraged to allow swine to wallow.

      Standard: During stressful heat conditions, producers should provide one or more of the following to relieve heat stress: shade, mist, sprinklers, mud wallows or extra ventilation. Sows should always have free access to water and shade. If the air temperature is in the given range for at least four hours per day, the following heat stress control measures should be implemented:

       

    Heat Stress Control Measures for Outdoor Sows Using Shade and Wallows

    Air Temperature

    Dry Climate

    Humid Climate

    Marginal: < 70ºF

    no action needed

    access to wallow required

    Warm: 71-80ºF

    access to wallow required

    access to wallow required

    Hot: 81-95ºF

    access to wallow required

    shaded wallow required

    Very hot: 96-115ºF

    shaded wallow required

    shaded wallow required

    From “Managing Heat Stress in the Outdoor Pig Breeding Herd” by John J. McGlone, Ph.D., Texas Tech University

  2. Management

    3. Addressing the needs of breeding stock and piglets is vital for their well-being and organic integrity. Brood sows should be selected for good maternal traits and the ability to maintain body condition while nursing a litter of piglets for at least 42 days. Boars should be gentle in nature and a different breed than the sow to impart hybrid vigor and exceptional meat quality.

    1. Breeding Stock Replacements

      2. Intent: Once a herd has been successfully transitioned, any animals added to the herd should be certified organic, unless new genetics are needed to maintain health and hybrid vigor. Future sow mothers should be selected for welfare-enhancing traits such as friendly dispositions, strong maternal traits, outdoor hardiness, normal litter sizes and the ability to sustain lactation without excessive loss of body condition.

      Standard: Once a farm is converted to organic, all replacement animals born on the farm are to be managed as organic from the last third of gestation. Breeding stock may not be cycled in and out of organic management.

    2. Weaning Age

      3. Intent: Piglets should be weaned no earlier than when they are 42 days old. At least 42 days of nursing leads to strong, healthy piglets with well-developed immune systems. Later weaning age also enhances their mother’s health and well-being.

      Standard: Piglets must be 42 days old before they are weaned. If sow or piglet welfare is at risk due to leaving piglets with the sow, piglets may be weaned early. Reasons for these occurrences must be documented and readily available.

    3. Cloning

      4. Intent: CROPP Cooperative farmers are committed to natural breeding for all animals.

      Standard: Cloned animals, their offspring and semen from cloned animals are prohibited.

  3. Herd Condition Measures

    4. There are many benefits that support regular swine herd scoring. CROPP Cooperative staff will score herds no less than once every three years. If a herd is scored, it can be more easily managed. Benefits include monitoring and improving herd health and the ability to demonstrate the herd is well cared for and that the producer promptly addresses any potential problems, with the assistance and support of Organic Prairie staff.

    There are four herd condition measures that are scored. Animal hygiene is dependent on many factors including season, pasture condition and bedding provision. Body condition indicates feed quality, lactation stage and pasture management. Locomotion issues usually stem from an injury to the hoof, but may be the result of an injury higher up in the leg. Lesions indicate and result from something irritating or injurious in the environment. Efforts must be made to minimize illness and injury. See the Organic Prairie swine score card for score ranges and parameters.

    Every farmer should use these as management performance measures. Change is easily tracked, improvements noted and potential problems can be avoided.

    1. Animal Hygiene Score

      2. Intent: All sows should be scored for hygiene. Swine should be encouraged to wallow in mud, as this is an instinctive behavior that keeps them cool and prevents sunburn. Swine should have a clean, dry, well-bedded place to rest and be able to choose to be clean and dry and not lie in manure.

      Standard: Swine must be scored for hygiene. Mud wallowing does not indicate a dirty pig. Wallowing in manure is unacceptable and the hygiene scale is used for this instance. No more than 10 percent of swine should score 3 and greater.

    2. Body Condition Score

      3. Intent: All sows should be scored for body condition to assess health, nutrition plane and the level of management the farmer provides. Sows that score below 2 should be in a comfortable, well-bedded hospital pen where they have easy access to feed, water and appropriate medical treatment.

      Standard: Score the entire herd. Two is the minimum acceptable body score. Sow body scores should range between 2.5 and 3.75. Sows with a score of less than 2 should be humanely euthanized if they do not respond to treatment.

    3. Locomotion Score

      4. Intent: Locomotion scoring measures the ease or comfort level with which swine walk. Scores reflect foot and leg health and the promptness of care given to affected swine. Animals that score 3 should be in a comfortable, well-bedded hospital pen where they have easy access to feed, water and appropriate medical treatment.

      Standard: Score the entire herd. No more than 3 percent of swine may score 2 or greater. Score 2 sows walk with an obvious limp, but are able to keep up with the herd. Score 3 sows cannot keep up with the herd.

    4. Swelling/Lesions/Injury Score

      5. Intent: Lesions on the hocks, knees or elsewhere reflect the condition of pastures, pens, beds or stalls where swine live. Hocks and knees should be in good condition if the rest area is quality pasture or a well-bedded surface.

      Standard: Score the entire herd. No more than 5 percent of swine should have swelling in the hocks or knees or have lesions or injuries.

    5. Coat

      6. Intent: Healthy, well-fed swine should have shiny hair coats. Patches of missing hair may be indicative of poor nutrition or another untreated condition, such as lice or mange. Swine enjoy rubbing and scratching on trees and other objects in their environment. Insignificant abrasions are part of life in a natural environment.

      Standard: Swine are not allowed to be missing patches of hair due to lice or mange. Any infestation must be treated immediately.

    6. Mortality Rate

      7. Intent: A herd’s mortality rate measures multiple practices and indicates the level of disease and management the producer provides. Tracking the reasons animals are lost may lead to making economically beneficial changes to the operation.

      Mortality rates for piglets may be higher than those seen for other animals, since sows may give birth to as many as 20 piglets at one time. First time mothers are likely to have greater piglet losses. Every effort should be made to select for good mothering ability to minimize piglet loss.

      Standard: Mortalities must be tracked and evaluated. Less than 10 percent of piglets born live to weaning, less than 2 percent of post-weaned animals and no more than 3 percent of adults should die or put down on the farm. If the mortality rate is high or has risen, an explanation must be provided.

  4. Physical alterations

    5. Many physical alterations have become a matter of routine on conventional farms due to the use of confinement facilities. When animals’ needs for space are met and they are encouraged to perform natural behaviors, most physical alterations become unnecessary.

    1. Tail Docking

      2. Intent: Tails should be left intact to maximize swine’s well-being and allowing them to perform natural behavior. Docking has traditionally been performed to prevent swine from biting one another’s tails. Tail biting is a sign of stress. If animals are housed in a spacious, well-managed and enriched environment, tail biting should be a non-issue.

      Standard: Tail docking is prohibited due to pain, which may be chronic over the animal’s life due to neuroma development. Docking an individual animal’s tail for health or welfare reasons is permitted. If a tail is docked for health or welfare, at least half the complete tail length must remain if at all possible. If tails are docked in response to a tail-biting problem, a plan must be implemented to resolve the causes. It is not acceptable to routinely dock tails.

    2. Tooth Modification

      3. Intent: Routine tooth modification is prohibited because it can result in pain and infection. Piglets have needle teeth, which can cause damage to the sow’s udder and the cheeks of other piglets. While not a common occurrence, this damage can be an issue in particularly large litters. Fostering a few piglets to another sow with a smaller litter may easily rectify the problem.

      Standard: Tooth clipping is prohibited, as teeth may be cracked, which may result in pain and infection. Filing and grinding are also prohibited from routine use. Gentle and minimal filing or grinding of piglets’ needle teeth is permitted only when medically necessary due to injury to the sow’s udder or the cheeks of other piglets during nursing.

    3. Identification

      4. Intent: Some identification method is necessary for swine as they are more likely to lose ear tags than other livestock. Farmers are encouraged to identify animals by the least painful or invasive method possible. Identification can be a challenge with swine for a number of reasons. There are many different swine breeds. Some are all white, others entirely red or black, while others have white socks and snouts. When the herd is comprised of many animals it may be difficult to identify them especially if they are all the same color.

      Standard: Breeding animals are identifiable by at least two workers on the farm. No more than two ear tags per animal are allowed, unless two are required by law. In this case a third tag is permissible. Ear notching is acceptable, but must be performed when piglets are castrated or vaccinated. Microchips may also be used.

    4. Castration and Spaying

      5. Intent: CROPP farmers minimize pain and suffering associated with castration by performing it while the animal is very young with provision of pain relief. Castration is necessary for preventing off flavors in meat.

      Standard: Surgical castration is allowed for piglets up to seven days of age. Dull-it or other pain management is provided for every animal at the time of this procedure to address pain, and enhance recovery time. Spaying of sows and gilts is prohibited.

    5. Nose Rings

      6. Intent: Ringing is discouraged because it does not allow swine to perform a natural behavior. Disk rings or those around the snout rim result in pain when hogs attempt to root. The septum ring allows swine to root, but prevents destruction of permanent pasture which would leave swine with a dirt lot rather than a pasture with nutritious plants to graze.

      Standard: Disk rings are prohibited. Septum rings are allowed in an effort to protect the integrity of pasture land. Pastures should be rotated so that rooting and destruction of quality permanent pastures is not an issue. Appropriate restraint such as a head chute is used when ringing swine. Procedures such as this should be performed as quickly and humanely as possible. Rings must not be placed about the rim of the snout.

      Recommendation: Ringing is unnecessary when swine are managed in a rotational grazing system or pastured on root crops or annuals such as oats, peas, brassicas, turnips, and grazing corn.

  5. Materials and Equipment

    6. The objective is to use the best genetics available in the most natural manners while imparting the least amount of stress to swine. Electric fences and gates keep swine safe in their pasture area, while prods are reserved as a medical means of last resort to get an animal back up on her feet.

    1. Artificial Insemination

      2. Intent: CROPP Cooperative farmers are committed to providing a safe, normal, and natural life for all animals. Artificial insemination allows producers to benefit from superior genetics on other farms without subjecting swine to stressful transports across country.

      Standard: Artificial insemination is allowed. Semen from cloned animals is prohibited.

    2. Embryo Flush and Embryo Transplant

      3. Intent: CROPP Cooperative farmers are committed to providing a safe, normal, and natural life for all animals. Therefore, embryo flush and embryo transplant are not allowed.

      Standard: These procedures are prohibited.

    3. Embryo Flush and Embryo Transplant

      4. Intent: Electric fences and gates help keep swine within the safe confines of their pasture. Electric prods should be reserved for medical use only such as when a sow is down and will make no attempt to rise of her own accord.

      Standard: Any electric gate is used only in accordance with manufacturer’s instructions and is avoidable by swine. Prods or other electrical devices are not used to move swine at any time. Medical use of electric prods is acceptable. Electric prods may be used only when swine are down and will make no effort to get up on their own. Prodding attempts should stop when swine make no attempt to get up and away from the prod.

  6. On-Farm Transportation

    7. Intent: To minimize fear and stress incurred by young animals due to loading, transport, and unloading in an unfamiliar areas. Transport may be necessary to get animals from one pasture to another, if the pastures are too far for piglets to walk, or if a farm is located on both sides of a highway.

    Standard: Movement within the farm does not exceed one hour. If movement of animals exceeds one hour, all transport standards apply. Piglets that have not been weaned are not moved on a vehicle within the farm except to access pasture or forage areas where they will remain with their mothers. Transporting unhealthy, non-ambulatory or injured animals for any reason other than to access veterinary treatment is prohibited. No piglet may be transported onto or off of the farm prior to weaning.

    The trailer or other conveyance must be clean and in good condition. This includes:

    • Flooring surface that prevents slips and falls
    • Nothing that will cause cuts and bruises as animals enter or depart
    • All ramps and floors are constructed to minimize animals slipping
    • Animals are able to stand naturally
    • Animals are able to step into and out of the vehicle easily and safely