Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 30 September 2020
263. Deputy Joe O'Brien asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of piglets that had their teeth clipped or grinded in each of the years 2017 to 2019; the percentage of the overall piglet numbers these represent; and the reason given by producers for carrying out the procedure. [27410/20]
Amharc ar fhreagra264. Deputy Joe O'Brien asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of pigs that had their tail docked in each of the years 2017 to 2019; the percentage of the overall piglet numbers these represent; and the reason given by producers for carrying out the procedure. [27411/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 263 and 264 together.
Specific EU and national legislation is in place that sets out the minimum animal welfare standards for pigs kept for breeding or fattening. The legislation prohibits routine clipping or grinding of the corner teeth of piglets and routine docking of pig’s tails. However, these procedures are allowed where it has been shown that injury has occurred to either sow’s teats or the tails of other pigs, provided other measures have been taken to prevent tail biting and in the case of teeth clipping/grinding the procedure is carried out within the first 7 days of the piglet's life.
My Department does not have specific data on the number of piglets that have had their teeth clipped/grinded or their tails docked in the years mentioned. However in the coming weeks, the ante mortem aspect of the Department’s computerised pig meat inspection system (“Pig AMPM”) will become operational. In addition to other ante-mortem inspection criteria, the system will record the percentage of pigs that are tail docked for every batch of pigs sent to slaughter. This means that more accurate data on the occurrence of tail docking in Irish pig herds will be available in the future.
