FSA found discrepancies at 150 pig farms

Pigs, MRSA bacteria Pig FarmerFree range pigs, a rarety in modern farmong. Photo: pixabay.com

The FSA found discrepancies at 80% of pig farms in Rogaland

“Deviations were found at 150 of 189 pig farms in Rogaland during a comprehensive inspection campaign by the Norwegian Food Safety Authority (FSA) in 2018. Several of them, serious,” writes Nationen.


The audit campaign was carried out at the end of 2017 and the beginning of 2018 in Rogaland after the shocking clandestine videos – shown on NRK ‘Brennpunkt’ (Focal point) this week – were recorded.

The film shows, among other grave maltreatment of animals, castrations without the use of anaesthetics and pigs with open wounds left to die untreated.

Pigs were emergency slaughtered on site at 25 swine producers. Five of those were told to wind up their business after the audit.

Region Manager for the Norwegian Food Safety Authority in Southern Rogaland, Sirdal and Flekkefjord, Odd Ivar Berget, tells Nationen that he was not surprised at such a high number of deviations.

“That’s exactly what we were worried about, and the reason why we decided to carry out that many unannounced inspections,” he explains.

 

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Handling of sick pigs

Most of the deviations in the Norwegian Food Safety Authority’s campaign (95) were related to the lack of “messing up” material, which is a well-being measure for pigs. Sick animals were found at 67 pig producers; at 61 of those, sickness bays were used incorrectly. 47 producers were instructed to follow-up sick animals better.

The pig industry has contributed to implementing an animal welfare program after the inspection campaign. This entails, among other things, that the farms must be visited by a veterinary three times a year, as a minimum.

“The unacceptable conditions, shown in the film, goes several years back. Since the Norwegian Food Safety Authority’s report on animal welfare of pigs in 2018, the industry has implemented many measures to ensure that the regulations are followed up on the farms. This, both through annual veterinary visits and price deductions when the program isn’t followed. A large number of courses have also been carried out aimed at manufacturers,” Nortura writes in a press statement.


© NTB Scanpix / #Norway Today
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