Contrary to the article on page six of the January 2014 issue of Pig World, on-farm training on euthanising pigs of any size can be carried out by a vet or by a suitably trained and experienced person, as signed off by the vet’. There’s no necessity to attend a course provided by BPEX, the Humane Slaughter Association or any other training provider.
From April 1 this year only stockmen who have been trained and formally assessed as competent may carry out euthanasia of any pig on a Red Tractor assured farm.
Each farm must also have a documented work instruction for euthanasia, and must ensure a person with training and competence in euthanasia for each type of pig present on the farm is always available within a maximum of 60 minutes driving time from the farm, 24 hours a day, all year round.
Whetever method of training is used, the stockman being trained will be required to have an on-farm competency assessment that must be done and signed off by a vet before he is considered competent to carry out the procedure.