Thinking of getting a ‘micro’ pig?

‘Micro’ pigs have been pushed into the spotlight this Christmas as a ‘must-have’ present, after some celebrities have reportedly bought them for each other. However, potential purchasers are being urged to find out more about how to keep the animals happy and healthy – and legally – before buying one.

There are a number of legal obligations that apply to all pig keepers, no matter whether the pigs are kept on a commercial basis or simply as ‘pets’. These include registering as a pig keeper with DEFRA, and complying with other measures designed to control the spread of highly contagious animal viruses, such swine fever and foot and mouth disease.

They must also obtain a ‘holding number’ for the premises where the pig(s) will be kept, obey laws governing the movement of pigs between premises and abide by strict rules regulating what the creatures can be fed. For example, feeding kitchen scraps to pigs is illegal.

All pigs are agricultural animals, and any failure to comply with current animal health and welfare legislation could land potential ‘micro’ pig owners with hefty fines, or even a disqualification from keeping animals in the future.

For more information, please visit the DEFRA Animal Health website.

1 January 2010

Food Chain Information Forms for Sheep, Goats and Cattle

Following the introduction of Food Chain Information (FCI) documents to accompany pigs to slaughter from 1 January 2008, and calves and horses to slaughter from 1 January 2009, there is now a requirement for sheep, goats and cattle that are sent to slaughter to be accompanied by an FCI document. This only applies to animals slaughtered for human consumption and is operational from 1 January 2010.

It is intended  that the sheep and goat food chain information will be incorporated into the AML1 document from late January 2010. Cattle FCI’s will remain on a separate sheet.

The documents specific to each species are available from the Food Standards Agency website, or from the slaughterhouse or market. It is expected that keepers copy their own blank documents for their use.