Group housing requirements lead to market turbulence

At the edge of the new century the European Commission ?adopted the directive on the protection of farming animals. For pigs, group housing for gestating sows is a well-known outcome. The directive is likely to influence market prices for pigs. How much? In the European Union, group housing is now required for gestating sows from four weeks after insemination until one week before the expected farrowing. Other requirements of the EU legislation include floor quality, living area (like 0.65 m2 �