17 April 2026

WelFarmers: Sharing good pig farming practices

During the Irish Pig Health Symposium 2026 in the Curragh, Kildare, on Tuesday April 14, the WelFarmers Project was once again represented on Teagasc's stand. During the event, the different infographics from the Good Practices collected in round one of the project were disseminated to the farmers and stakeholders who attended.

The WelFarmers Project is now in its second year. Its main goal is to collect and share good practices from pig farms across the EU that can improve animal welfare. The project focuses on four key themes:

Loose housing facilities for lactating sows
Methods to reduce pain during castration
Strategies for raising undocked pigs
Optimising space allowance and flooring for fattening pigs

The project is a collaborative European effort, with project partners from eight European countries – including Ireland – who have been actively collecting good practices from pig farms. At Teagasc, efforts have been focused on contacting farmers and gathering information to contribute to the database of Good Practices.

At the symposium Teagasc, on behalf of the WelFarmers Project group, hosted Jason McGrath and his colleagues from Ashleigh Farms who were awarded a plaque and certificate for their Good Practice ‘Loose Lactation & Piglet Commingling’ (available to view below).

A comingling design used on Aisling Pig Farms which allows piglets to adapt to other groups and form social hierarchies. The facilities listed include: 6.5 m2 pens installed in 2017 • Designated piglet area: 1.3 m2 • Use of paper as nest building material. • Floorheating. • Presence of anticrushing rails. • The floor is fully slated.

More information on the WelFarmers Project can be found here.