Basic Approach
Acting from an ESG perspective is now demanded in Japan as well, and shareholders and investors are taking a greater interest in animal welfare. In July 2024, we established the Prima Meat Packers Group Animal Welfare Policy in line with the codes of the World Organization for Animal Health and the livestock-specific technical guidelines released by Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. Guided by the policy, we will follow a PDCA cycle of continual improvement to achieve the goals set out in the policy and improve the quality of our disclosures.
Hog farming areas in Japan in the Prima Meat Packers Group (as of October 2024)
Main Actions
Installing free-access stalls
Nikushitsu Kenkyu Farm uses free-access stalls in its Kurobuta pork breeding site. The free-access stalls allow sows to move freely during gestation, reducing their stress. Our plant is for free-access stalls to be installed as standard on all new hog sheds.
Installing farrowing crates
Nikushitsu Kenkyu Farm and Kamifurano Farm use movable farrowing crates to house sows during farrowing and lactation. The crate can be adjusted according to the size of the sow. Our Miyagi farm uses open crates. The open design allows piglets to interact with neighboring litters, which makes it easier to manage the subsequent process of fattening the herd.
Installing AI cameras
One of the Miyagi farm’s fattening sheds has an AI camera system that automatically monitors the bodyweight of the pigs. By tracking bodyweight changes in real time, the system helps the farm detect physiological changes and identify improvements to make in the fattening process.
Initiatives for environmental enrichment
The Miyagi farm and Kamifurano Farm give the pigs toys to reduce their stress and aggression and create positive experiences. Use of toys has reduced aggressive interactions between pigs.
Employee training
Pacific Ocean Breeding invited an outside expert to lead a training course. Six training sessions were held during the second half of fiscal 2023, one in each month. Prima Meat Packers is planning a similar training course to teach employees correct knowledge about animal welfare.