IAWS: Animal Welfare and Biosecurity
Nowadays, it is important to indicate that in order to obtain and maintain optimum animal welfare in pig farms, it is essential to protect and reinforce other closely related aspects such as health and biosecurity. In addition, the current world situation of African Swine Fever (ASF), makes biosecurity really important, such as one of the most effective measures in controlling the spread of this disease.
Therefore, the Animal Welfare and Biosecurity Technical Regulation INTERPORC ANIMAL WELFARE SPAIN (IAWS), not only includes measures for the animal's own benefit, according to the five freedoms from OIE and adopted by the Farm Animal Welfare Council but also includes a specific area with biosecurity requirements that farms must meet if they wish to obtain this demanding certificate.
The biosecurity measures of the IAWS Technical Regulation are established based on the identification and control of those aspects that may entail a risk for the welfare physical or psychological of the animals, and also a risk in the food chain of the products intended for human consumption.
In addition, a new version of the IAWS Technical Regulation has recently been published. From the biosecurity point of view, new requirements have been included such as the duty to incorporate showers or an equivalent system in farms, the use of a bird netting in the exterior openings that prevent the access of birds, rodents and other unwanted animals and the need to maintain a farm in a correct state of cleansing and maintenance of the exteriors, among others. In this way, the IAWS Technical Regulation serves as a tool to adapt to the new regulations for operators with certified farms.
Thanks to this certification, the Spanish White Pork Sector is committed to animal welfare and biosecurity, in order to avoid the entry of pathogens as much as possible, as well as to reduce their infection, preserving the health and comfort of all animals.
In conclusion, this way of understanding animal welfare as a concept directly interrelated with other fields (biosecurity, health, handling, traceability and food safety) is proper and exclusive to the IAWS certification, thus establishing itself as the most complete and demanding animal welfare certification in Europe.
For more information, please check our website:https://www.bienestaranimalcertificado.com/animal-welfare-certified/
Regarding biosecurity, please check this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5x4z9nSVAE&t=69s
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