CAST Releases Document on Individual Stalls for Sows
Mar 30, 2009 4:07 PM
The Council for Agricultural Science and Technology (CAST) has issued a report on “Scientific Assessment of the Welfare of Dry Sows Kept in Individual Accommodations.”
The nine-member international task force of this new issue paper critically evaluates the scientific evidence of individual gestation accommodations (IGAs) for sows, including considerations for behavior, nutrition and feeding, reproduction, clinical examination and health, manure management, worker safety and system design.
The authors of the report indicate that no compelling evidence exists from scientific evaluations and comparisons of sow gestation systems that individual or group housing is more suitable for dry sow housing systems.
Chair of the task force is Stanley Curtis, Department of Animal Sciences, University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana.
The 20-page report is available free online at www.cast-science.org and in print by calling (515) 292-2125; there is a fee for shipping/handling.
There was a lot to be positive about in the pork industry the last week of October. I realize it is difficult to be optimistic when you are still losing $25 to $30/head. I also realize that positive news at this point could be as dangerous as it is welcome. But facts are facts, and we must recognize them.
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As I begin this week's column, I"m reminded of two different "flip side" statements that may help characterize the topic at hand. The first is the old Archie Campbell schtick - "That's good - no that’s bad," which I have used before. The second reflects President Truman's frustration with economists' incessant use of the qualifier - "on the other hand" - to introduce the contrary opinion on a given topic. President Truman once demanded in his usual colorful language: "Will someone please find me a *!&%$*?>
