Why all our pigs are having a ball (I am not making this up)

The Times of London ^ | 1/29/03 | Valerie Elliott

[IowaHawk]

FARMERS throughout the country have 90 days to put a toy in every pigsty or face up to three months in jail. The new ruling from Brussels, which is to become law in Britain next week, is to keep pigs happy and prevent them chewing each other.

Official instructions to farmers are to give pigs “environmental enrichment” by providing “manipulable material”, which the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs last night defined as balls.

A spokesman said: “We mean footballs and basketballs. Farmers may also need to change the balls so the pigs don’t get tired with the same one. Different colour ones will do. These rules are based on good welfare. We don’t want to come across as the nanny state, but the important thing is to see pigs happy in their environment and they like to forage with their noses.”

He added that hanging chains were also good, since pigs could brush their noses against them. The Government is not ready to recommend specific toys, however, because they know of no firm manufacturing playthings for pigs.

But farmers should be careful about scoffing at the idea: they could be fined up to £1,000 or jailed for three months if they fail to amuse their stock. And Neville Meeker, who farms near Warminster in Wiltshire, was told by a farm standards official last week that he will lose the right to use the red tractor farm logo to market his pork if he does not buy a toy for each of 64 sties.

Mr Meeker, who has 1,200 pigs, said: “I have a note here which says toys must be placed in the sties. I haven’t a clue what it means.” Yesterday he tried out a plastic aeroplane and a grey furry teddy bear. They seemed to please a small group of piglets, but he was less enthusiastic: “These toys won’t last two minutes. We’ve got to give them something that is hard-wearing. It has to be durable enough to withstand chewing for at least six months and we can’t use wood because that will cause splinter injuries and pieces could get caught in pigs’ throats.”

He is also worried about the safety aspect of having toys scattered on pen floors.

He said: “I can’t have chains because the roof of the unit is not strong enough. Pigs would just pull it down. Sadly I don’t have an old beam. I suppose I will just have to buy some balls.”

In a letter to Farmers’ Weekly he complains: “Yes, the day of the toy inspector has arrived, and it is not a TV spoof. It is the dictators of Europe who have thought this up. Good job the January sales are on. Hamleys here we come.”

He was worried, too, that he needed just one toy for every sty with 20 pigs. “Will this cause fighting? I remember how children react.”

Mark White, past president of the Pig Veterinary Society, said: “Pigs have a habit of chewing each other and they do it in all environments and especially go for pigs’ tails and ears. Animal welfarists have been arguing that we should not dock tails of pigs. Some believe it is unnecessary mutilation for aesthetic and not for medical reasons. They think if we provide pigs with things to relieve their boredom then they will not chew each other.”

He suggested softwood logs, ships’ buoys and plastic piping.

[babyface00]

The issue isn't the manner in which pigs are treated.

The issue is forcing farmers to do so by law.

If this is the "right thing to do", then farmers, by and large, wouldn't have to be forced to do it and wouldn't have to be fined for not doing so.

[Restin Payce]

Being a Capitalist, I see a major market here for all the used bowling balls in the world. It was my idea. OK ?

[RichInOC]

I wonder what they'd do with a life-size Ned Beatty blow-up doll.

[AUgrad]

We don’t want to come across as the nanny state,

Way, way, waaaaay too late.

[thulldud]

If this is the "right thing to do", then farmers, by and large, wouldn't have to be forced to do it and wouldn't have to be fined for not doing so.

If the Euroweenies understood that, there would be no socialism in the EU. You fail to realize that socialists, since they themselves don't do anything right unless they're forced, assume that everybody else must be forced as well. Combine that with the arrogance which makes a Brussels desk-jockey think he knows more about pig-farming than the guy out there in the mud, and you get all sorts of fun.

As smart as pigs are, they would do better having them fly the desks in Brussels.

[mg39]

"If this is the "right thing to do", then farmers, by and large, wouldn't have to be forced to do it and wouldn't have to be fined for not doing so."

Nonsense! People cut corners all the time to save money, and it happens frequently when the victims of their greed are animals (or children, or others unable to speak up for themselves). When animals are neglected or treated inhumanely -- and that's a massive problem that is not being voluntarily addressed by producers -- it's time for the law to step in and protect them.

[babyface00]

When animals are neglected or treated inhumanely -- and that's a massive problem that is not being voluntarily addressed by producers -- it's time for the law to step in and protect them.

I pray that you're opinion is in the minority if you believe that pigs not having toys equates with neglect or inhumane treatment. Or are you going to suggest a similar law for human children?

[babyface00]

you're = your. changed thoughts mid-sentence.

[VANHALEN2002]

And the pig grabbed a chicken, said
Come on over, let's do-si-do a few
And the chick said 'no, you're covered with mud'
Called him a pig and it was true
And every gol' dang one o'their tails was a waggin'
Under the old horse-shoe
That night the animals fell off the wagon
And a tractor or two
Well they was out in the middle of nowhere
They was rockin' out in the barn
They was tearin' it up in the hayloft
Gettin' down on the farm- Joe Walsh

[Martin Tell]

CNN has a story on this subject on its site (sorry don't have time to post whole story) claiming that it is (quoting EU officials) "utter eurosceptic rubbish". The officials admit that there are rules governing the conditions pigs are raised in, but toys are not required.

There is nothing new about the EU harmonizing conditions in agricultural markets. A landmark European Community (predecessor to the EU) court case had to to with Community rules taking precedence over national rules in pig production (believe it or not, an Irishman was arrested and faced three months in jail for violating a national law against transporting pigs without a license. The court held that Community regulation prevailed and the criminal charges were thrown out).

The USA does much the same. Anyone hear of the US Supreme Court case of Schekner Poultry (from the 1930s)?

[KarlInOhio]

Why do just the pigs get the toys? I guess that "All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others."

A spokesman said: “We mean footballs and basketballs...."

I hope that the footballs are European soccer balls and not the American, well..., pigskin.

[Martin Tell]

not the American, well..., pigskin.

Good point (would not want Porky to suddenly realize he is playing with his little brother Piglet's mortal remains and be traumatized), but American footballs have not really been made with pigskin for many years.

[mg39]

I pray that you're opinion is in the minority if you believe that pigs not having toys equates with neglect or inhumane treatment. Or are you going to suggest a similar law for human children? If you research this story, you'll see that the farmers do not need to give their pigs toys, but only materials, like straw, etc., to allow them to play and thereby provide mental stimulation. I feel the same way about kids, i.e., children who are not provided with some form of mental stimulation, be it toys or a playmate, are in fact being abused. I know, from work as a volunteer advocate for abused and neglected children, that there are, sadly, children being raised in terrible environments in which the only mental stimulation, if you can call it that, is a blaring television. Having also volunteered at a wildlife rehab center, where we occasionally took in domesticated animals, I can report as fact that animals, particularly higher mammals like pigs, dogs, cats, etc., can suffer not only physical abuse, but mental abuse as well.

[aculeus]

Earlier LINK.

[ladylib]

Buy them computers.

[babyface00]

Let me get this straight...

You believe that not providing pigs with things to play with (I'd call that "toys", but if you don't like that word, that's fine) is the equivalent of "mental abuse?

Furthermore, on the one hand, you believe that this "abuse" is so pervasive and objectionable that laws must be passed to force farmers to abide by your opinions but on the other hand, you don't believe that this is obvious enough that farmers, whose livelihood depends on the health of their livestock, would voluntarily comply?

Would it be too much of a stretch to suggest that possibly pig farmers, who spend much of their lives around these animals, know just a little more about them than volunteers, beurocrats, and the EU?

[mg39]

Yes, pigs deprived of playthings will be bored, and if they're deprived of playthings/mental stimulation their entire lives, that's abusive.

No, farmers don't always do what's best for their animals. They often do what's best for themselves. Animals will grow fat despite horrendous conditions, if you pump them full of enough drugs, hormones, etc.

Yes, sometimes government needs to step in when the private sector fails, and yes, government and nonprofit groups can easily know as much about a problem, if not more, than the private sector.

And no, there is no way you can justify factory farming.

[Publius6961]

OK, I give up...

Where is the BSNN or Onion logo???

[Publius6961]

Yes, sometimes government needs to step in when the private sector fails, and yes, government and nonprofit groups can easily know as much about a problem, if not more, than the private sector.

There are always a number of people in the world who are unable to grasp the distinction bertween opinionated and informed.

They are harmless enough, until they assume they are entitled to run the world, at which point all sorts of nasty things ensue...

[mg39]

I see you are opinionated. Harmless enough, I suppose.