The nation’s beloved bacon sandwich is hiding a gruesome secret. 95% of UK pigs are imprisoned on Red Tractor assured farms, a self-proclaimed “world-leading” assurance scheme. But, we have investigated the spine-chilling reality of what the farms are really like. Bickmarsh Hall farm, located in Warwickshire, holds over 8,000 pigs, making it a ‘mega-farm’ and one of the biggest in the UK. The pigs are raised indoors, in sodden, faeces-laden conditions and are sold to Cranswick, a UK-leader in supplying own-brand ‘products’ to major supermarkets including Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Asda and Morrisons. Bickmarsh pig 'products' are sold by Asda and Tesco.
From birth to death, the suffering at Bickmarsh Hall farm was clear. Nursing mothers were confined to farrowing crates, trapped for weeks at a time. Confined by metal bars and on a floor of concrete, the intimacy of giving birth was completely stripped away.
Sick, injured and lame animals were a common site throughout the three months that we investigated Bickmarsh Hall farm. Pigs with painful prolapses were left among other animals, causing untold agony to the affected pigs. In barren, filthy pens, the pigs were evidently bored and frustrated and were filmed biting the prolapses of the suffering individuals.
A worker was caught on camera checking a severely lame pig, who was immobile and in vast distress, and subsequently leaving them to suffer for almost 10 hours. During this time, the acutely lame pig was trampled by other individuals, had their legs, ears and feet chewed on and was left shivering on a wet, faeces-laden concrete floor.
Finally, the worker dragged the screaming pig out by their legs. The desire for a bacon sandwich comes at the cost of their hardship and misery.
"Despite having witnessed many harrowing scenes of animal cruelty, I've found the video taken at Bickmarsh Hall farm particularly heart-breaking. To see such intelligent and sensitive animals being so horrifically abused, from being hit, kicked, left to die, living in filth, and incarcerated in cages, reveals a callous industry that leaves a grave mark on humanity." - Peter Egan, Actor and Animal Rights Activist
Many dead pigs were dragged from sheds by workers using metal shackles and loaded onto JCB forks. Their dead bodies were graffitied with ‘DEAD’ then dumped into bins filled with masses of other decomposing pigs. Violated one last time by the farmers.
With over 8,000 pigs at Bickmarsh Hall farm, many were left in squalid conditions, on grated floors and slurry-covered concrete. This is the spine-chilling reality of Red Tractor Assured farms.
During the periods of filming, our cameras caught workers verbally and physically abusing pigs. This included when pigs were moved from shed to shed or when they were being loaded for slaughter. We recorded pigs having gates rammed into them, having spiked slap markers – fine metal needles that tattoo the pigs instantly before going to the abattoir – thrust into their sides and electrified prods were used during loading.
"This farm is the epitome of squalor, and unfortunately represents the norm for a large proportion of Britain’s pig farms. These are naturally extremely hygienic animals, and these cramped, dirty and very poorly enriched conditions are undoubtedly causing both physiological and psychological damage. The stress induced by such an environment and lack of appropriate care appears to be contributing to the presence of disease on farm, with associated mortality evidenced by full ‘dead bins’, and vice behaviours like tail biting and cannibalism." - Dr Alice Brough BVM&S MRCVS
The horrors filmed at Bickmarsh Hall farm are in direct breach of the Animal Welfare Act, 2006 [19], the Welfare of Farmed Animals (England) Regulations, 2007, DEFRA Codes of Practice, Red Tractor guidelines and supermarket welfare policies. Contrary to their names, these laws and guidelines were never written to ‘protect’ animals; they enable the exploitation of animals. Legislating the commodification and killing of animals will never be acceptable, nor will improving welfare standards. We must end these abhorrent industries.
With exploitation comes suffering and profits will always win out. No level of ‘welfare’ or no assurance scheme will ever ‘protect’ animals. The horrors facing pigs on British farms are unfathomable and we must act urgently. Investigations like this are why we must be vegan and actively reduce our reliance on harming other beings.
In the past decade, red 'meat' consumption (per person) has plummeted by 37%! Your choices today can and will make an impact tomorrow. YOU can end this Red Tractor assured nightmare.
If you are already vegan and want to help further, you can order our Respect All Life leaflets and Animal Farming factsheets which are perfect for educating the public on high streets and posting through letterboxes!
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