Outdoor

Temporary service interruption to UK Pig Industry Welfare Training Platform

Fri, 12 Sep 2025 07:19:48 GMT

Temporary service interruption to UK Pig Industry Welfare Training Platform

ASF in Focus: Spotlight on UK pig sector’s biggest threat

Tue, 09 Sep 2025 07:49:19 GMT

ASF in Focus: Spotlight on UK pig sector’s biggest threat

Outdoor pig farmer survey

Thu, 22 May 2025 07:22:00 GMT

Outdoor pig farmer survey

Diseases affecting pigs

Thu, 17 Apr 2025 08:42:56 GMT

Diseases affecting pigs

Autumn 2024 EU short-term outlook: red meat summary

Wed, 23 Oct 2024 10:51:40 GMT

Autumn 2024 EU short-term outlook: red meat summary

Advanced farrowing management (outdoor)

Fri, 06 Sep 2024 10:18:37 GMT

Our Stockperson Plus training programme consists of problem-solving workshops designed to build on existing pig husbandry knowledge. The course naturally follows on from the Stockperson Development Scheme (SDS) to further develop the technical skills of pig unit staff.

The training is suitable for stockpeople who:

Have significant previous experience, or
Have completed the Stockperson Development Scheme, or
Want to progress to become a supervisor or manager

By the end of this workshop, you will be able to:

Better prepare the farrowing accommodation and appropriately distribute sows and gilts in the farrowing paddocks
Approach bed management with a greater depth of understanding e.g. the use of the different nesting materials and how they help with the farrowing process, positioning of huts and the disciplined daily routine of bed preparation according to the time of year
Adapt the feeding schedule to reflect sow and gilt body condition score (BCS) and maintain intake during the suckling period
Understand and explain the importance of water intake and water quality for improving appetite and milk production
Identify and understand metritis, mastitis and agalactia (MMA) as well as what changes to the dung can indicate
Improve management of the small pig during the suckling period and understand the options for creep feeding outdoors
Manage farrowing through periods of extreme temperatures, avoiding drops in feed intake and weaning weights
Identify and mange lactational oestrus and understand the reasons behind it
Implement practices to control vermin and other pests and maintain fence management in the outdoor paddocks

Booking details

Cost: £40+VAT

To register, please complete and return this application form

A maximum of four people per business can attend the training. If you would like to book more places than this, or have any other queries, please get in touch.

E: pork.training@ahdb.org.uk

T: 01904 771218

The training will be delivered online via Microsoft Teams. This reduces the time participants need to take out of the business, reduces any biosecurity risk and provides an opportunity for more people to take part in the training.

Find out more about the Stockperson Plus training.

Slaughterhouse pre-designation FAQs

Fri, 02 Aug 2024 13:45:00 GMT

Slaughterhouse pre-designation FAQs

African swine fever FAQs

Fri, 02 Aug 2024 13:45:00 GMT

African swine fever FAQs

Cutting plant pre-designation FAQs

Fri, 02 Aug 2024 13:45:00 GMT

Cutting plant pre-designation FAQs

Moving and handling training updated to reflect outdoor pig production

Tue, 28 May 2024 13:05:40 GMT

Moving and handling training updated to reflect outdoor pig production

Keeping ASF out

Tue, 07 May 2024 10:02:48 GMT

During this webinar, Mandy Nevel, AHDB Head of Animal Health & Welfare, and Katie Jarvis, Senior Policy Advisor at the National Pig Association (NPA), will share practical things that you can do to prepare for a possible outbreak of African swine fever (ASF).

We will take you through what you can do to prepare your business, who is responsible for what, and how the industry would need to work together if there was an outbreak.

This meeting will cover:

Spotting the clinical signs of ASF
Effective biosecurity precautions
Establishing an emergency plan for your business
The possible impact of being placed in a temporary control zone

There will also be time for Q&As.

Useful information

Find out more about African swine fever

Learn about and sign up to the significant diseases charter

Limiting the spread of notifiable disease in pigs

Mon, 18 Dec 2023 09:12:20 GMT

Limiting the spread of notifiable disease in pigs

POSTPONED International pig club: Germany

Tue, 12 Dec 2023 12:53:31 GMT

This webinar has been postponed, we will share details for the re-scheduled event as soon as possible.

Join us to learn about pig production in Germany, including staffing, marketing, public perceptions, health issues, government support and more.

The next webinar in our series of international pig clubs takes us to Germany, when we will be joined by Roland van Asten, co-owner of the Van Asten Group and a 2017 Nuffield Scholar. We’ll be discussing new developments on sow and piglet feed using fermented soya, and the climate for pig production in Germany and the Netherlands.

You’ll be able to ask questions during the webinar, but if you can’t attend on the night, please submit your questions to the host, Andrew Palmer:
andrew.palmer@ahdb.org.uk

The webinar will be recorded and shared after the event.

If you missed any of our previous international pig clubs focusing on Brazil, Canada, China, Spain and Mexico, you can watch the recordings via our event archive.

Roland van Asten

Roland is a co-owner of the Van Asten Group and a 2017 Nuffield Scholar.

The Van Asten Group farms in the south of the Netherlands and in the German state of Thuringia.

Together with his brother and sister, they run an operation with 22,000 sows and 60,000 fatteners, as well as seven megawatt biogas plants.

They operate a circular pig production system, with liquid feed comprised of byproducts and fermented raw materials.

Roland has been working in eastern Germany since 1997, leading the construction and start-up of three farms in Thuringia.

He is currently working on the reconstruction of the German farms, as well as the new startup FermCare, which sells fermentation products in Europe.

Consumer desire for outdoor bred pork hindered by cost-of-living crisis

Thu, 28 Sep 2023 10:54:09 GMT

Consumer desire for outdoor bred pork hindered by cost-of-living crisis

Advanced stockperson workshops return to help pig industry

Mon, 04 Sep 2023 11:37:08 GMT

Advanced stockperson workshops return to help pig industry

International pig club: Mexico

Wed, 30 Aug 2023 11:28:11 GMT

Join us to learn about Mexican pig production, including staffing, marketing, public perceptions, health issues, government support and more.

The next webinar in our series of international pig clubs takes us to Mexico, when we will be joined by Gonzalo Rivero, Director (Pig & Poultry) at Zoetis UK.

You’ll be able to ask questions during the webinar, but if you can’t attend on the night, please submit your questions to the host, Andrew Palmer: andrew.palmer@ahdb.org.uk

The webinar will be recorded and shared after the event.

If you missed any of our previous international pig clubs focusing on Brazil, Canada, China and Spain, you can watch the recordings via our event archive.

Gonzalo Rivero

Gonzalo joined Zoetis Mexico in 2013 as Director of Commercial Operations after moving from the USA. In this role he was responsible for business intelligence, customer service, digital marketing, field force effectiveness, and strategic planning.

In 2016 he became the leader of the Agriculture Business Unit, and in 2018 he also took on the role of Business Unit Director for the Swine Business Unit.

In 2021 Gonzalo joined the Zoetis UK business as Business Unit Director for Pig and Poultry, while also moving with his family to the UK.

Collaborative project demonstrates benefits of outdoor pigs for land management

Thu, 13 Jul 2023 10:29:55 GMT

Collaborative project demonstrates benefits of outdoor pigs for land management

Trainers required to deliver stockperson training

Thu, 29 Jun 2023 10:21:48 GMT

Trainers required to deliver stockperson training

UK pig industry reduces antibiotic use by 75% with a concerted eight-year effort

Tue, 13 Jun 2023 08:43:30 GMT

UK pig industry reduces antibiotic use by 75% with a concerted eight-year effort

Blog: Plans afoot for stockperson training

Tue, 23 May 2023 10:31:30 GMT

Blog: Plans afoot for stockperson training

Outdoor

Temporary service interruption to UK Pig Industry Welfare Training Platform

ASF in Focus: Spotlight on UK pig sector’s biggest threat

Outdoor pig farmer survey

Diseases affecting pigs

Autumn 2024 EU short-term outlook: red meat summary

Advanced farrowing management (outdoor)

Our Stockperson Plus training programme consists of problem-solving workshops designed to build on existing pig husbandry knowledge. The course naturally follows on from the Stockperson Development Scheme (SDS) to further develop the technical skills of pig unit staff.

By the end of this workshop, you will be able to:

Booking details

Slaughterhouse pre-designation FAQs

African swine fever FAQs

Cutting plant pre-designation FAQs

Moving and handling training updated to reflect outdoor pig production

Keeping ASF out

During this webinar, Mandy Nevel, AHDB Head of Animal Health & Welfare, and Katie Jarvis, Senior Policy Advisor at the National Pig Association (NPA), will share practical things that you can do to prepare for a possible outbreak of African swine fever (ASF).

This meeting will cover:

Useful information

Limiting the spread of notifiable disease in pigs

*POSTPONED* International pig club: Germany

This webinar has been postponed, we will share details for the re-scheduled event as soon as possible.

Join us to learn about pig production in Germany, including staffing, marketing, public perceptions, health issues, government support and more.

Roland van Asten

Consumer desire for outdoor bred pork hindered by cost-of-living crisis

Advanced stockperson workshops return to help pig industry

International pig club: Mexico

Join us to learn about Mexican pig production, including staffing, marketing, public perceptions, health issues, government support and more.

Gonzalo Rivero

Collaborative project demonstrates benefits of outdoor pigs for land management

Trainers required to deliver stockperson training

UK pig industry reduces antibiotic use by 75% with a concerted eight-year effort

Blog: Plans afoot for stockperson training

POSTPONED International pig club: Germany