Last week I was privileged to host the e-petitions debate relating to the use of cages and crates for farmed animals. The debate provided a real opportunity to highlight how many animals are kept in restrictive cages and crates and have a conversation about how best to phase them out.
This petition was started by Dame Joanna Lumley in collaboration with Compassion in World Farming, who did an impressive job at gathering over 100,000 signatures for this petition to be debated in Parliament. I had the great opportunity to be able to meet them and discuss their motivations for starting the petition, as well as other stakeholders like the National Pig Association, the NFU, and the RSPCA.
I also held an event on this topic with Humane World for Animals UK on the topic of farrowing crates. We had a life size animatronic pig with its own farrowing crate at the event, to help people visualise how cramped these conditions truly are. Farrowing crates restrict the mother pigs so severely that they cannot turn around, never mind express other natural behaviours like nest-building. Polls have found that about 73% of people in the UK have not heard of farrowing crates, or do not know very much about them.
Piglets are removed from the sow after about 3 to 4 weeks, and a couple weeks later the sow is inseminated again. Sows have about 2 litters a year, and a breeding lifespan of 3 years, after which they are sold for slaughter.
Outdoor pig farming can lead to higher piglet mortality, from sows crushing them, however outdoor pig farming can lead to better sow and piglet health. Free farrowing options allow for the social interactions of piglets and sows, as well as the expression of nest-building and other natural behaviours.
Farrowing crates are already banned in Norway, Sweden, and Switzerland. In Switzerland’s case, where farrowing crates have been banned since 1997 with a 10-year transitional period, studies have shown that piglet loss was mostly due to sow related characteristics, such as size at birth, age of the sow, and season.
The British Veterinary Association are in favour of banning these crates, with 75% of vets being concerned about the impact of farrowing crates on pig welfare, and 36% of them saying that they were very concerned. They also recommend that Government should work with producers and retailers on an awareness campaign for best practice.
It is also important to consider the use of “enriched colony cages” used for hens. Battery cages were banned in 2012 in favour of these cages, yet they have only 9% more usable space per hen and allow each hen about as much space as an A4 piece of paper. 23% of eggs are still laid by hen kept in these cages, which is about 8-million-layer hens every year. Many farms have already switched to free-range, including major retails like McDonalds, who only use 100% RSPCA Assured pork and free-range eggs. 94% of the British public oppose the use of these enriched cages, which are so small they restrict hens from flapping their wings, causing frustration and bone weakness.
Britain is a nation of animal lovers, and so it is very important that we ensure that we do not replace our own high welfare products with lower welfare imports from our trading partners and protect and reward our British farmers who adhere to high standards. Mandatory animal welfare labelling would also help customers stay informed about what they are buying, as currently only eggs are required to have a label describing how they are farmed.
Next year is the 20th anniversary of the New Labour Government’s Animal Welfare Act of 2006. Their “New Life for Animals” manifesto led to this act, as well as the battery cages ban, the ban on hunting foxes with hounds, the ban on fur farming, and the ban of cosmetic testing on animals. Our Labour manifesto in 2024 promised to strengthen animal welfare, and I am proud to be elected as part of a government which is making this a priority again for our country.
Dame Joanna Lumley and Compassion in World Farming are right – It’s time to end the use of cages and crates for farmed animals
