title: Pig producer perspectives on the use of meat inspection as an animal health and welfare diagnostic tool in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Currently, there is growing interest in developing ante and post mortem meat inspection (MI) to incorporate measures of pig health and welfare for use as a diagnostic tool on pig farms. However, the success of the development of the MI process requires stakeholder engagement with the process. Knowledge gaps and issues of trust can undermine the effective exchange and utilisation of information across the supply chain. A social science research methodology was employed to establish stakeholder perspectives towards the development of MI to include measures of pig health and welfare. In this paper the findings of semi-structured telephone interviews with 18 pig producers from the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland are presented.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Producers recognised the benefit of the utilisation of MI data as a health and welfare diagnostic tool. This acknowledgment, however, was undermined for some by dissatisfaction with the current system of MI information feedback, by trust and fairness concerns, and by concerns regarding the extent to which data would be used in the producers' interests. Tolerance of certain animal welfare issues may also have a negative impact on how producers viewed the potential of MI data. The private veterinary practitioner was viewed as playing a vital role in assisting them with the interpretation of MI data for herd health planning.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The development of positive relationships based on trust, commitment and satisfaction across the supply chain may help build a positive environment for the effective utilisation of MI data in improving pig health and welfare. The utilisation of MI as a diagnostic tool would benefit from the development of a communication strategy aimed at building positive relationships between stakeholders in the pig industry.
authors: UCD Planning and Environmental Policy, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4 Ireland.
authors: Catherine
authors: 0000-0002-7226-3868
authors: C
authors: Devitt
authors: Teagasc Pig Development Department, Animal and Grassland Research and Innovation Centre, Moorepark, Fermoy, Co, Cork, Ireland.
authors: Laura
authors: L
authors: Boyle
authors: Laboratório de Etologia Aplicada e Bem-estar Animal, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Santa Catarina, Brazil.
authors: D L
authors: DL
authors: Teixeira
authors: Institute for Global Food Security, Queens University Belfast, Northern Ireland Technology Centre, 18-30 Malone Road, Belfast, BT9 5BN UK.
authors: N E
authors: NE
authors: O'Connell
authors: College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise, Greenmount Campus, Tirgracy Road, Antrim, BT41 4PS UK.
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Hawe
authors: School of Veterinary Medicine, University College Dublin, Belfield Dublin 4, Ireland.
authors: Alison
authors: A
authors: Hanlon
keywords: Meat inspection; Pig health; Pig producers; Pig welfare; Qualitative research