Economic optimization of pork production-marketing chains .2. Modelling outcome

Dynamic linear programming was used to evaluate the development of pork chain concepts that take animal welfare concerns into account. Pig welfare attributes and the additional costs of production and distribution were balanced. The pig welfare perceptions of both a consumer-related respondent and a pig welfare expert served as input. Pig welfare estimations represented improvements additional to the pig welfare level in the default situation and were expressed on a relative scale from 0 to 100 points, Results showed that at relatively low levels of additional pig welfare (i.e. less than or equal to 20 to 30 pig welfare points), especially slaughterhouse- and transportation-related attributes were incorporated into the chain concepts. Examples included the attributes ''reducing stock densities'' and ''using automated unloading platforms''. Moreover, ''illumination standards'' were raised in both the farrowing and fattening stage. Total additional costs ranged from Dfl. 0.56 to Dfl. 1.20 per pig from the farrowing to the slaughtering stage. Sensitivity analysis showed that the least-cost chain concepts at these low levels of additional pig welfare were very stable. The additional costs incurred increased progressively at higher levels of additional pig welfare to a total maximum (i.e. 100 welfare points), ranging from Dfl. 77 to Dfl. 114. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.