It is up to the pig producer to decide which pigs should be included and subsequently ear tagged for RWA production. In practice this is handled by selecting and ear tagging those pigs enrolled in the RWA programme before 4 days of age. Individual AB treatment for welfare reasons is allowed in RWA herds, but pigs receiving AB treatment will lose their RWA status. The RWA concept is based on preventive measures, including increased focus on hygiene, vaccines and feeding programmes, as well as improved management, as alternatives to AB treatments. In Denmark, the production concept RWA began with six Danish pig producers in collaboration with the meat industry (Danish Crown, Randers, Denmark) in 2015, which has increased to more than 50 producers rearing RWA pigs in 2018.
Antimicrobial resistance has been the main driver of the consumer interest for livestock raised without antibiotics (RWA).
The use of antibiotics (AB) in production animals is a debated subject, but from an animal welfare point of view, treating sick pigs suffering from a bacterial infection with AB is necessary. In these two Danish RWA herds from this study it was possible for 64 and 68% pigs to reach 12 weeks of life without any AB treatments. The results suggests that in order to reduce AB treatments particular attention should be addressed to smaller pigs and barrows in RWA herds. Additionally, significant risk factors for AB treatment were identified as a low bodyweight in herd A, whereas barrows and litters with less than 19 piglets were the main risk factors in herd B. Individual pigs that required AB treatment had a reduced average daily gain from day 0 to 28 in both herds (herd A, P < 0.001 herd B, P = 0.062) and from day 0 to 84 in herd A ( P < 0.001). The results showed, that at 12 weeks of age, 82 of 518 liveborn pigs were AB treated in herd A and 31 of 436 liveborn pigs were AB treated in herd B. Bodyweight was recorded at birth, 2, 4 and 12 weeks of age. ResultsĪ total of 518 pigs in herd A and 436 pigs in herd B, were individually ear-tagged and subjected to weekly investigations of AB treatment status from birth to 12 weeks of age. The objective of this study was to identify risk factors for AB treatment and to investigate growth performance of pigs in two Danish RWA herds. At slaughter, the farmer receives an additional price for non-AB treated pigs. Raised without antibiotics (RWA) is a concept where pigs are individually ear-tagged for tracking, and if pigs are AB treated, they lose their RWA status. However, AB treatment of animals is at times necessary to treat diseases and ensure the wellbeing of the animals we take into our care. Antibiotic (AB) consumption in production animals has a high awareness among politicians and consumers due to the risk of selection for AB resistance among potentially zoonotic bacteria.