Neil Tirchett shares an update on the Welfarmers project, which has seen recent developments in its mission to improve pig welfare across Europe through farmer-led knowledge sharing.
Evaluating Good Practices Across Europe
A total of 93 good practices from pig farms across eight European countries were submitted for evaluation. These practices are available to browse on the project’s website, www.welfarmers.com
The practices cover four key welfare themes:
- Loose housing for lactating sows
- Raising pigs with undocked tails
- Avoiding pain during castration
- Space allowance and flooring for fatteners
For each theme, a thematic expert group, composed of farmers, veterinarians, advisors, researchers, and food industry stakeholders, was tasked with scoring the practices based on three main criteria:
- Excellence / Technical quality
- Impact
- Exploitation / Probability of success
Each group selected the best 5 practices per theme. These 20 shortlisted practices have now been passed on to the Regional Networks, national groups of pig farmers representing each participating country, for further evaluation.
We are also proud to share that two practices from Ireland have made it with these selections by the thematic expert groups. One within the theme of Loose Housing for Lactating Sows, and another under Space Allowance & Flooring.
Irish Farmers Weigh In
On 24th July 2025, the Irish Regional Network held its evaluation meeting. Farmers from the Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) and representatives from Teagasc engaged in in-depth discussions on the shortlisted practices.
It was noted that while many practices offer clear welfare benefits, some are challenging to implement in the Irish context. For instance, several practices rely on the extensive use of straw, both as bedding and enrichment, which is not readily available in Ireland and can add costs or conflict with slurry system infrastructure.
Additionally, some practices originate from countries where farmers receive financial premiums at slaughter for implementing higher welfare standards, such as keeping animals with intact tails or providing increased space allowance. Without similar incentives in Ireland, adoption may be more difficult.
Project Webinar and Knowledge Sharing
On 9th July 2025, the second WelFarmers webinar was held, offering a deeper look into the collection and evaluation of good practices. Regional network coordinators, including Ciarán Carroll (Ireland), presented insights on:
- How practices were collected
- Challenges during the evaluation process
- Examples from selected practices
You can watch the webinar recording here.
WelFarmers Presented at EU Platform on Animal Welfare
On 30th June 2025, WelFarmers was presented at the 17th Meeting of the EU Platform on Animal Welfare, hosted by the European Commission’s DG SANTE.
Edgar Garcia Manzanilla, Head of Teagasc’s Pig Development Department, gave an overview of the project’s goals, methodology, and current status.
It was emphasised that WelFarmers is a farmer-led initiative, created by farmers and promoted for farmers, aiming to give pig producers across Europe a voice in shaping future legal requirements. The project empowers farmers to become drivers of change, rather than simply responding to societal expectations. The Commission is now eagerly awaiting the outcomes of the first evaluation round.
What’s Next?
By the end of August 2025, the winners of the first round of evaluations will be announced, and promotion of their practices will begin across the project’s platforms.
Starting in September, Round 2 of the project will commence. This will involve the continued collection of good practices under the same four themes.
If you are aware of a pig farm, whether in Ireland or abroad, that is implementing innovative or welfare-friendly practices worth sharing, please get in touch with any of Teagasc’s Specialised Pig Advisors. We welcome all contributions that help shape a more sustainable and welfare-focused future for the pig sector.