The Responsibility Paradox and Pig Farming

The Responsibility Paradox and Pig Farming

By Brooke McClure, Health and Animal Care Associate at The Maschhoffs

Is it possible to care too much for your pigs?

This is a complex question. On the one hand, providing animals with the basic needs of feed, water, the proper growing environment and daily care is at the heart of the job. 

However, the concept of the ‘caring-killing paradox’ is real. This paradox points to the fact that in our industry, we often have to euthanize animals that we previously cared for. And, for some it is difficult to reconcile the fact that euthanasia may be the final form of treatment for the pig. This can take an emotional toll on dedicated animal caregivers. 

If we unpack this paradox a little further, we recognize that exceptional caregivers may be tempted to provide animals with additional time to recover. While the intent is good, the animal may be suffering for an extended period of time. 

At The Maschhoffs, we define 48 hours as the maximum amount of time to provide a pig to show signs of recovery before providing euthanasia as the final treatment. This assumes the caregiver has correctly identified the pig has an opportunity for recovery. Severe open wounds, broken legs, non-ambulatory animals – these are all conditions that warrant immediate euthanasia as there is no opportunity for recovery.

Additional Complexity
The real challenge with the caring-killing paradox comes in when dealing with the shades of grey. And, unfortunately, market conditions can further complicate this situation. Belly ruptures are a good example. Pigs with umbilical hernias are often perfectly healthy otherwise. Depending on the size of the rupture, in the past many of these animals could be eligible for harvest as a Grade A pig. 

Today, we are facing an oversupply situation, which can lead to more stringent standards at the packing plant. As a result, some of these animals may only be eligible for a cull market. 

With the current market economics, many producers are working to reduce the number of cull pigs in finishing farms. For most, it makes sense to focus efforts on the wean-pig startup phase. Producers know that small wean pigs will often not make it into the packers’ weight grid at the end of the 6-month growing window. Therefore, many have adjusted their wean-pig grading standards to be a bit more stringent.

As producers, we have an obligation to overcome the caring-killing paradox in a responsible manner.  When we discover an animal in need of euthanasia, we should perform the task immediately. It is often easy to put this task off, which can lead to animals living for days longer than what is humane. When we choose to put off a task, we have the tendency to build it up in our minds to be harder than what is reality.  

For those in leadership roles within the industry, we must ensure caregivers have the proper training and feel comfortable performing the task. If standards shift due to economic conditions, we must communicate ‘the why’ behind the change. 

No one savors the task of euthanizing an animal we’ve cared for. Communication and understanding are the keys to ensuring we are doing the best we can for the pig and the caregiver.


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