Thread: The unfortunate health and welfare consequences for animals after an on-farm break-in by intruders - a thread in response to tonight’s disgusting @Channel4 documentary #howtostealpigs 
Pig farms are integrated commercial operations characterised by modern hi-tech feeding systems, ventilations systems and housing design that place the health and welfare of pigs as the priority
Visitors must sign in to state they are “pig free” with a certain number of days, shower in, and change into clothing and footwear the pig farmer provides
Biosecurity refers to procedures carried out to protect the pig herd from harmful pathogens. External biosecurity are measured to prevent the spread of a pathogen onto your farm and internal biosecurity refers to measures to prevent the spread within your farm
Pigs are susceptible to many diseases which can affect their health, welfare and productivity. One way of disease transmission is “horizontal transmission” - where pathogens are directly or indirectly spread to a healthy animal from another organism
The actions of these groups have devastating impacts on the health and welfare of the pigs they come into contact with. This image is the same group storming an Irish pig farm last year
This group usually spends the days leading up to a farm invasion holding a “vigil” at a slaughterhouse. Directly touching pigs from dozens of different farms of different health status. They will have picked up viruses or bacteria via environmental transmission & the pigs faeces
A virus that spreads easily is PRRS. When healthy sows come in contact with the virus there is an increased number of stillbirths and mummified pigs. It causes an abortion storm and the pigs immune system makes them susceptible to painful respiratory diseases
Sows are intelligent. They recognise their farmer who comes to feed them and carries out other husbandry procedures like routine vaccinations
An invasion of a large group of people also causes a serious amount of stress to pigs, especially in the early hours of the morning where the pig is usually asleep. If a sow is disturbed during labour it will have disastrous effects on the piglets and lead to high stillbirths
The few weeks after a farm invasion is very worrying for farmers. They will have to continually carry out extensive veterinary diagnostics to see what viruses the activists may have brought in, and to monitor the birth of sows who may have increased stillbirths from stress
So you see, because these people don’t understand pig production or biosecurity. They do serious harm to the pigs they come in contact with. Shame on you @Channel4 for broadcasting tonight’s programme on how to steal pigs
