Swine Welfare AssuranceSM (SWAP) Program
The
Swine Welfare Assurance Program (SWAP) was
introduced in 2003 and has received visible industry
support, with producers, large and small, adopting and
recommending the program to their fellow producers.
Nine Care and Well-Being Principles
constitute
this Checkoff-funded program, which involves a
voluntary site assessment of on-farm pig welfare by a
Certified SWAP Educator. These principles form the
basis of discussion between the producer and the SWAP
assessor on topics such as euthanasia, emergency support
on-farm, caretaker training and record-keeping.
SWAP assessments are used to benchmark welfare.
Successful assessments also provide the producer with the
opportunity to identify and solve management
issues that may compromise pig welfare.
Production improvements
have been reported by
producers implementing SWAP. For example, a producer
was able to improve the efficiency of the pigs in his or
her finishing barns by implementing standard SWAP
animal observation techniques and documentation that require
daily barn “walk-throughs.” And by making employees
accountable for the state of the facilities and the animals,
the producer is able to identify problems early or even
before they occur.
Producers can receive program information and
SWAP materials, as well as find a Certified SWAP
Educator in their area, by visiting the
Pork Checkoff
Web site at porkboard.org.
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