§ Mr. HancockTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what percentage of sows were recorded as giving birth in crates in each of the last 10 years. [188147]
§ Mr. BradshawThis information is not available. The vast majority of indoor pig units—which represent about 73 per cent. of the breeding herd in England—use farrowing crates. While the Government would prefer to avoid the close-confinement of all sows, there are currently no free-farrowing systems suitable for widespread commercial adoption. Farrowing crates protect piglets from being crushed by the sow—the largest cause of piglet mortality. Defra-funded research has yet to find a solution which provides adequate protection to piglets. The results of our continued research will be fed into the 2008 review of the European pig welfare directive.