MINAPIG - health and welfare of pigs

See http://www.minapig.eu/

MINAPIG research will provide the foundation for an integrated understanding of technical and psychological factors driving decisions of farmers and veterinarians about pig health and production and the consequential interventions, particularly the use of antimicrobials across different pig production practices in Europe. The project will enhance our understanding of attitudes, motives and barriers that are impacting on choices related to antimicrobials. This is essential for changing practices used in pig production across countries and for policy development. Results will be communicated using a web site as well as via conventional communication channels, including veterinary and farmer forums.

The overall aim of MINAPIG is to evaluate strategies in agriculture that will reduce the usage of antimicrobials while assuring the health and welfare of pigs and offering sustainable solutions for farmers.

The objectives of the project are:

1. to investigate the efficacy and effectiveness of specific and unspecific technical alternatives to antimicrobial usage in pig production,
2. to identify drivers impacting on choices of farmers and veterinarians between alternative strategies, and
3. to transfer obtained knowledge to different target groups including veterinarians and farmers to promote sustainable pig production.

Financier: Emida/Formas

Collaborators:
National Veterinary Institute, Uppsala, Sweden
SAFOSO AG, Bern, Switzerland
Danish Agricultural and Food Council, Copenhagen, Denmark
ONIRIS, Nantes, France
University of Veterinary Medicine, Hannover, Germany
Boehringer Animal Health, Ingelheim am Rhein, Germany
ETH Zurich, Institute for Environmental Decisions (IED), Consumer Behavior, Zurich, Switzerland
Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium