Pig Health and Welfare will be a major focus of the work that will be undertaken as part of the forthcoming Teagasc/IFA Joint Programme. The principal determinants of good sow welfare in group systems are already well known from previous research and the experiences of other countries Sow longevity and more importantly sow lifetime performance have an underestimated impact on the proiftability of a pig unit. Therefore the ultimate aim should be to put a sustainable group housing system in place in which sow health, performance and therefore longevity is maximised This should serve as a reference document not only for producers switching to group housing but because of the inclusion of recent research findings and updates from other EU countries, also for those who have already converted.
