Table 3. Measures with their respective scoring scale and description used in the welfare assessment [5]

Measures Score Description
Body condition 0 Animal with a good body condition
2 Poor body condition: Animal with visible spine, hip and pin bones
Water supply 0 Number of drinking places are enough/ Function correctly and clean
2 Number of drinking places are not enough/ Do not function properly / dirty
Bursitis 0 No evidence of bursa / swelling
1 Moderate bursitis: One or several small bursae (1.5-2.0 cm) on the same leg or one large bursa (3.0-5.0 cm)
2 Severe bursitis: Several large bursae on the same leg, or extremely large bursa (5.0-7.0 cm) or any bursas that are eroded
Manure on the body 0 Less than 20% of one side of the body is soiled
1 Moderately soiled body: More than 20% but less than 50% of one side of the body surface is soiled with faeces
2 Severely soiled body: Over 50% of one side of the body surface is soiled with faeces
Shivering 0 No vibration of any body part
2 Slow and irregular vibration of any body part, or the body as a whole
Panting 0 Normal breathing.
2 Rapid breath in short gasps
Huddling 0 Pig lying with less than half of its body lying on top of another pig
2 Pigs lying with more than half of its body lying on top of another pig
Space allowance Space allowance expresses in m2 / 100 kg animal
Lameness 0 Normal gait or slight difficulty but using all 4 legs; swagger of caudal body while walking; shortened stride
1 Severely lame, minimum weight-bearing on the affected limb
2 No weight-bearing on the affected limb, or not able to walk
Wounds on body 0 If all regions of the animal’s body have up to 9 lesoins in one side of the body
2 Severely wounded: when more than 10 lesions are observed on at least two zones of one side of the body or if any zone has more than 15 lesions
Tail biting 0 No evidence of tail biting or superficial biting along the length of the tail, but no fresh blood or any swelling missing and presence of scabs
2 Bleeding tail and / or swollen infected tail lesion and / or part of tail tissue
Mortality % Percentage mortality during the previous 12 months
Coughing Average frequency of coughing per animal per 5 minutes
Sneezing Average frequency of sneezing per animal per 5 minutes
Pumping 0 No evidence of laboured breathing
2 Evidence of laboured breathing
Twisted snouts 0 No evidence of twisted snouts
2 Evidence of twisted snouts
Rectal prolapse 0 No evidence of rectal prolapse
2 Evidence of rectal prolapse
Scouring 0 No liquid manure visible in the pen
1 Areas in the pen with some liquid manure visible
2 All faeces visible inside the pen is liquid manure
Skin condition 0 No evidence of skin inflammation or discoloration
1 Localized skin condition: More than zero, but less than 10% of the skin is inflamed, discoloured or spotted
2 Widespread skin conditoin: More than 10% of the skin has an abnormal colour or texture
Ruptures and hernias 0 No hernias / ruptures
1 Hernias or ruptures present, but the affected area not bleeding, not touching the floor and not affecting locomotion
2 Bleeding lesions, hernias / ruptures and they are touching the floor
Castration 0 No castration done
1 Castration with use of anesthetics
2 Castration without use of anesthetics
Tail docking 0 No tail docking done
1 Tail docking with use of anesthetics
2 Tail docking without use of anesthetics
Hernias 0 0 No hernia/rupture
2 2 Hernias/ruptures with bleeding lesion or touching the floor
Social behaviors % Negative social behavior: Aggressive behavior, including biting or any social behavior with a response from the disturbed animal
% Positive social behavior: Sniffing, nosing, licking and moving gently away from the animal without an aggressive or flight reaction from this individual
Explorative behavior % Sniffing, nosing, licking all features of the pen or paddock. Exploration towards straw or other suitable enrichment material.
Fear of human 0 No panic response to human presence
2 Panic response: More than 60% of the animals fleeing, facing away from the observer or huddled in the corner of the pen
Qualitative behavioral assessment (QBA) Rating scale Active, relaxed, fearful, agitated, calm, content, tense, enjoying, frustrated, sociable, bored, playful, positively occupied, listless, lively, indifferent, irritable, aimless, happy, distressed