Animal Health

Animal health status is exceptionally good in Finland. There are practically no severe contagious diseases in our pig herds. Finland has never encountered such animal diseases as PRRS, ASF, SVD and PED. Due to the absence of TGE and AD, Finland has been granted additional guarantees in the EU for the aforementioned diseases (48/94/COL and 2008/185/EY).

Animal health situation is good in Finland for a reason. We have a strong commitment on every level to ensure animal welfare. Animals are housed in appropriate environments regarding climate, room and group sizes. Animals are provided with access to enrichment and possibilities to behave according to species. We also ensure enough optimized, nutrisious feed and fresh water for all the individuals. Disease prevention work never stops.

Prevention work

The exceptionally good animal health situation in Finland and in the Figen network results from systematic and determined work. Parties in this co-operation are stakeholders in primary production and food industries. The work is managed and coordinated by the association Animal Health ETT. The association covers the entire food production sector in Finland. Members are Finland’s meat processing companies, dairies and egg packing plants.

ETT’s main tasks are

• To promote animal health and well-being under the of the national animal health care protocol
• To control and manage genetics and feed imports to Finland to minimize biosecurity risks
• Information dissemination to prevent animal disease
• Animal disease monitoring in Finland and abroad

ETT’s main tool for animal health monitoring is the national SIKAVA database. SIKAVA covers over 90% of Finland’s (and 100% of Snellman’s) swine herds. SIKAVA classifies pig farms to three categories according to the level of health care:
• Basic level
• National level
• Special level – all Figen’s farms and nucleus farms are on this level.

Antibiotics

In comparison to many other countries, antibiotics are used far less in Finland. Pigs are not given antibiotics to prevent epidemics or to enhance growth. The use of antibiotics on farm is controlled by farm's healthcare veterinarian and treatment of individuals is based on a diagnosis. This controlled use of antibiotics in Finnish pork production aims not to impair the effectiveness of antibiotics. It also decreases risk of antibiotic residues in meat products.

Biosecurity

Figen welcomes customers to come and select animals. Our standard requirement is the minimum of 48 hours biosecurity quarantine before visiting any pig farm. The time starts from arrival to Finland. This concerns all visitors coming from abroad.

The biosecurity quarantine time can be extended to 72 hours depending on the disease situation in the visitor’s home country. It is in everyone’s interest to take animal health issues seriously and observe the biosecurity policy.