Factsheets

Maintaining the Pork Industry Tradition of Responsible Animal Care Through Applying Scientifically Sound Animal Care Guidelines

Each pork producers professional judgement, experience, and training are the key factors in providing animal care. Proper animal care is dependent on the successful interaction between the producer, the producers management skills, the physical environment, and the pigs.

U.S. Pork Producer Code of Practice
Producers take pride in providing proper care for the swine on their farms. They consider management and husbandry practices for good swine care to include the following:

  • Providing facilities to protect and shelter pigs from weather extremes while protecting air and water
  • Providing well-kept facilities to allow safe, humane, and efficient movement of pigs
  • Providing personnel with training to properly care for and handle each stage of production for which they are responsible with zero tolerance for mistreatment of swine in their care
  • Providing access to good quality water and nutritionally balanced diets appropriate for each class of swine
  • Observing pigs to make sure basic needs for food and water are being met and to detect illness or injury
  • Developing herd health programs with veterinary advice
  • Providing prompt veterinary medical care when required
  • Using humane methods to euthanize sick or injured swine not responding or not likely to respond to care and treatment in a timely manner
  • Maintaining appropriate biosecurity to protect the health of the herd
  • Providing transportation that avoids undue stress caused by overcrowding, excess time in transit, or improper handling during loading and unloading quality in the natural environment swine injury

Information developed for the Pork Information Gateway, a project of the U.S. Pork Center of Excellence supported fully by USDA/Agricultural Research Service, USDA/Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service, Pork Checkoff, NPPC, state pork associations from Iowa, Kentucky, Missouri, Mississippi, Tennessee, Pennsylvania, and Utah, and the Extension Services from several cooperating Land-Grant Institutions including Iowa State University, North Carolina State University, University of Minnesota, University of Illinois, University of Missouri, University of Nebraska, Purdue University, The Ohio State University, South Dakota State University, Kansas State University, Michigan State University, University of Wisconsin, Texas A& M University, Virginia Tech University, University of Tennessee, North Dakota State University, University of Georgia, University of Arkansas, and Colorado State University.

Reference to products in this publication is not intended to be an endorsement to the exclusion of others which may be similar. Persons using such products assume responsibility for their use in accordance with current directions of the manufacturer. The information represented herein is believed to be accurate but is in no way guaranteed. The authors, reviewers, and publishers assume no liability in connection with any use for the products discussed and make no warranty, expressed or implied, in that respect, nor can it be assumed that all safety measures are indicated herein or that additional measures may be required. The user therefore, must assume full responsibility, both as to persons and as to property, for the use of these materials including any which might be covered by patent. This material may be available in alternative formats.