Owning a Pedigree Pig

Responsibilities and Legal Obligations
When you first buy a pedigree pig you become responsible for the health and welfare of your herd. You must also ensure that you do not endanger the health of other pig keepers herds.

There are some government rules with which you must comply. This Animal Health and Welfare legislation is designed to protect the health of other farmers pigs as well as your own and to ensure that welfare standards are maintained.

The key areas that you must be aware of are:

Ø Farm Health Planning - Healthy Pigs are Happy Pigs
Ø Notifiable Diseases - You must know the symptoms
Ø Transport - Know the Welfare of Animals in Transport rules
Ø Welfare - Make sure you have read the Welfare Code
Ø Traceability - You must register your herd with Animal Health
Ø Traceability - You must record all pig movements
Ø Identification - Government rules are not the same as Pedigree rules

Remember! Years of conservation breeding can be wiped out at a stroke by a disease epidemic such as the Foot and Mouth outbreak of 2001. It is every pedigree breeder’s responsibility to help maintain national
biosecurity.

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