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www.rspca.org.uksciencegroupfarmanimals14Sciencegroupreviewof2012PigHealthandWelfareCouncilnewsub-groupThisyearsawthere-launchofthePigHealthandWelfareCouncilasamoreindependentandpartnership-ledgroupwiththeaimofdrivingforwardthedeliveryandstrategicaimsofthepigindustryassetoutin2020PigHealthandWelfareStrategy.TheRSPCAisamemberoftheCouncilalongwithrepresentativesfromthepigindustryandassociatedsectorsveterinaryprofessionandgovernmentalagencies.Aswellasconveningsub-groupsonhealthrelatedtopicssuchassurveillanceagreementwasreachedtosetupawelfaresub-grouptobefacilitatedbytheRSPCAfarmanimalsdepartment.Thesub-groupaimstoachieveconsensusontheimportantpigwelfareissuestobeinvestigatedonhowtoprogresstheseandontheultimateaimsineachcase.Keyissuestobeaddressedasidentifiedwithinthe2020PigStrategyincludetailbitingdockingandconfinementduringfarrowingalthoughotherissueswillalsobeexaminede.g.teethclipping.Thesub-groupwillprovidetheCouncilwithanalysiscommentaryandrecommendationsasappropriate.AndrewForsythx2RSPCAPhotolibraryAthree-yearresearchprojectcommissionedbytheRSPCAandfundedbyTheTubneyCharitableTrusttohelpevaluateandidentifypracticalwaysofprovidingfarmedduckswithasuitableopensourceofwaterconcludedin2011.During2012theRSPCAfarmanimalsdepartmentconsultedwiththeduckindustryincludingproducersvetsresearchersandotherpoultryexpertstodiscusstheresultsoftheresearchandconsiderhowbesttostrengthentheRSPCAwelfarestandardsfordomesticcommonducksinthisarea.Newstandardsconcerningtheprovisionofopenwaterhavenowbeendevelopedwhichbuildonthecurrentrequirements.ThesenewstandardstakeintoaccountnotonlytheRSPCA-commissionedresearchconductedbyCambridgeUniversitybutalsoresearchpublishedoverthelastfewyearsbyotheracademicinstitutions.Thenewstandardswillbepublishedin2013ensuringduckshaveaccesstobathingwaterthatenablesthemtoperformtheirimportantwaterrelatedbehavioursfreely.ThisworkhasalsobeenusedtoinformNewopenwaterstandardsforducksChickenwelfareassessmentcentreAtpresentonlyslowergrowingbreedsofmeatchickenscanbeusedbyproducerswhoaremembersoftheRSPCAsFarmAssuranceschemeFreedomFood.Thisisbecausefastgrowthratescansignificantlycontributetothedevelopmentofseverewelfareproblemsinchickenssuchaschroniclegdisordersandheartproblems.ConsequentlytheRSPCAwelfarestandardsforchickenswhichmustbeimplementedbyFreedomFoodmembersstatethattheaveragedailygeneticgrowthrateofabirdmustnotexceed45g.Howevertherearelimitationstotheeffectivenessofthisstandardasamechanismforsafeguardingchickenwelfare.Itisthebroilerbreedingcompaniesthatdetermineandprovidethedataonthegeneticgrowthratepotentialoftheirchickensandtheydonotapplyastandardisedprocesstoestablishthisfigure.Inadditionasthegeneticgrowthratepotentialofabreedisoftenarrivedatusingdatafromanumberofdifferentsourcesincludingfieldtrialsbyproducersitdoesnotnecessarilyreflectthetruegeneticgrowthpotentialofabreed.Theseissuesmakeitdifficulttoascertainabreedstruegeneticgrowthrate.Furthergrowthrateonlyoffersanindirectmeasureofwelfareandassuchdoesnotofferanyguaranteeseitherwayaboutabreedsactuallevelofwelfare.AlthoughtheseissueshavenothinderedsignificantprogressinthisareatodatetheRSPCAhasforalongtimerecognisedthechallengesassociatedwiththisapproachinensuringonlybreedswithanacceptablelevelofwelfareareusedwithinthescheme.Since2008theRSPCAhasbeenworkingondevelopinganewapproachandhasnowfullydevelopedanRSPCA-approvedprotocoltoassessthewelfareofdifferentbreedswhichistobeappliedatanRSPCAapprovedWelfareAssessmentCentre.HeremeatanddrivetheRSPCAsLikeaDucktoWatercampaignlaunchedinSeptember2012tohelpimprovetherearingconditionsoffarmedducks.Bylawduckscanbeprovidedwithnothingmorethanmetalball-bearingtypewaterdrinkerssimilartothosegiventopetrabbitsandhamsters.Thecampaignaimstoraiseawarenessaboutthisissueandspecificallyencourageretailerstoensuretheduckmeattheysellcomesfromfarmswheretheduckswereprovidedwithfacilitiesallowingthemfullbodyaccesstowater.Formoreinformationaboutthecampaignseewww.rspca.orgducktowater