Lookforthemark

A Mark You Can Trust. The British Meat Quality Standard Mark was first introduced in 1999 to differentiate pork, bacon and ham produced to high standards of husbandry and welfare - encompassing feed, housing and regular independent inspection by the State Veterinary Service. It immediately made an impact as the Mark shoppers trusted for quality - and establish a 79 per cent consumer awareness and recognition factor. The Mark was soon extended to also apply to sausages.

What is meant by stalls and tethers?
Imagine a pregnant sow standing in a metal enclosure (a stall) that is about six inches wider and six inches longer than she is. The sow has just sufficient room to, with some difficulty, lay down and stand back up, but she cannot turn round or move any more than the few inches that she has to move forward and backwards.

Stalls are banned in the UK but current EU legislation allows sows to be kept in these throughout their pregnancy (approximately 12 weeks). This legislation will be in place in Europe for another eight years, and even after 2013 EU legislation will still allow sows to be kept like this for the first four weeks of their pregnancy.

Now imagine the same sow in a similar enclosure, but one which has no back to the enclosure. To prevent her from backing out of the cage the sow is tethered around the neck or waist by a rope or chain. This practice is also banned in the UK but will continue to be acceptable under EU legislation until 2006.

UK and EU legislation allows the segregation of sows with young piglets in maternity crates which are designed to prevent the sow from crushing the piglets and significantly reduce piglet mortality.

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