Pig swill campaign 'underestimates' risk
A celebrity-backed campaign that promotes the use of swill as an environmentally-friendly food source for pigs, has been criticised for underestimating disease risks.
Under current legislation, it is illegal to feed pigs "swill" - products that have entered the human food chain, such as restaurant waste.
Prior to the ban in 2001, swill feeding was common in the UK, but evidence suggested that meat fed to pigs in swill was responsible for the devastating outbreak of foot-and-mouth in that year. The practice was banned across Europe in 2002.
A campaign known as The Pig Idea, brought by environmentalist Tristram Stuart and chef Thomasina Miers, aims to see the EU ban overturned.
The campaign website boasts endorsements from celebrities including Ben Fogle, Phillip Schofield and John Torode.
Veterinary organisations have spoken out after a Pig Idea feast event in central London last week encouraged members of the public to support a loosening of the current legislation.
Grace Webster, president of the Pig Veterinary Society (PVS), said: "Strict controls on pig feeding exist to shield pigs and other livestock from disease and have been extremely effective in preventing outbreaks. We would like to remind pig owners that these laws remain unchanged and they should continue to avoid swill feeding in order to protect their animals."
It was also noted by the BVA that while it appreciates campaigners' efforts to encourage the use of legal food waste products, such as hops and whey, concerns remain over the risks of swill feeding.
President Robin Hargreaves said: "The legislation barring traditional swill feeding has been very effective in protecting the UK against further outbreaks of diseases such as Foot and Mouth, classical swine fever and African swine fever.
"While a return to swill feeding seems appealing on the surface, we remain concerned that checks could never be enforced effectively enough to ensure that no traces of meat, including pork products, were included in feed."
With Strangles Awareness Week just around the corner (5-11 May), vets are being encouraged to share a survey about the disease with their horse-owning clients.
