# Analysis of the potential implications for French pig farming of the European Food Safety Authority opinion on the welfare of pigs on farm

Authors: Camille Bezançon<fnref n="1" />, Louise Kremer<fnref n="1" />,<fnref n="2" />, Agnès Tiret<fnref n="1" />, Geneviève Aubin-Houzelstein<fnref n="1" />,<fnref n="3" />, Virginie Michel<fnref n="1" />,<fnref n="2" />,<fnref n="4" />

Presenting author email: agnes.tiret@inrae.fr

Preferred stream and preferred format of presentation: AWSEL, Oral (long)

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

The opinions delivered by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) constitute the scientific basis for the European Commission in the future revision of regulations on animal welfare. The French Reference Centre for Animal Welfare (FRCAW) was formally requested by the Ministry of Agriculture to study EFSA opinions and highlight farming practices and systems identified in EFSA's opinion most likely to impact animal welfare in France. This initial focus is on pig welfare, looking individually at several categories of animals: sows in the servicing area, gestating sows, farrowing and lactating sows, pre-weaners, weaners, rearing pigs and boars.

Bringing together French experts from multiple disciplines and organisations, the FRCAW outlines priority areas for action to improve pig welfare on French farms in each animal category.

For sows in the servicing area, gestating sows, farrowing and lactating sows, priority areas encompass providing more space for the animals including stopping the use of crates, increasing the amount of fibre in feed, keeping floors in good condition, and providing nest-building materials for pre-farrowing sows. Regarding pre-weaners, priority measures include protection against crushing and a system where weaning is carried out at 28 days. For weaners and rearing pigs, monitoring and preventing health problems and providing more room for group-housed animals and more enrichment materials are highlighted as priority areas. As for

<footnote n="1">¹ French Reference Centre for Animal Welfare (FRCAW), National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and Environment (INRAE), 147 rue de l'Université, 75338 Paris Cedex 07, France</footnote>

<footnote n="2">² European Union Reference Centre for Animal Welfare for Poultry and other small farmed animals (EURCAW-Poultry-SFA), French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety (ANSES), 14 Rue Pierre et Marie Curie, 94701 Maisons-Alfort, France</footnote>

<footnote n="3">³ INRAE CODIR - Collège de Direction, National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and Environment (INRAE), 147 rue de l'Université, 75338 Paris Cedex 07, France</footnote>

<footnote n="4">⁴ Direction of strategy and programmes, French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety (ANSES), 14 Rue Pierre et Marie Curie, 94701 Maisons-Alfort, France</footnote>
teaser boars, priority measures include stopping to keep boars completely isolated, improving management of space and preventing health risks.

The FRCAW plans to undertake similar work next focusing on broilers, laying hens, and calves.