Animal justice group film pig abuse at Burgh Castle farm

The footage from the Innovis Gene Transfer Centre (GTC) East in Burgh Castle shows workers repeatedly filmed kicking and hitting the animals and striking them repeatedly with pitchforks and metal pipes.

Over 781 hours of secret filming by the Animal Justice Project (AJP) showed the boars enduring mistreatment in conditions that were said to be outside the Animal Welfare Act 2006, the Welfare of Farmed Animals (England) Regulations 2007, DEFRA Pig Standards, and the DEFRA Code of Practice.

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It found that the animals were struck more than 300 times and severe injuries of the animals were not treated.

In addition, it was found boars resisting semen collection were physically assaulted and shouted at.

Furthermore, the group claimed that the farm repeatedly failed to comply with DEFRA's standards for the animals' living conditions.

A worker attempting to collect boar semen (Image: Animal Justice Project) Innovis owns and controls the farm in the village near Great Yarmouth.

They keep the pigs there and staff collect semen that is then used at pig farms where the animals are slaughtered for meat

The company's CEO said he was appalled by the footage and that extra cameras had been installed to monitor the site and staff.

AJP's revelation is the first known investigation at a UK boar farm that supplies semen.

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The investigation has prompted Red Tractor Group, the UK’s largest food and farm standards scheme, to suspend the farm’s certification, and Innovis suspended two employees.

A stumbling boar is hit in the face with a paddle (Image: Animal Justice Project)

Claire Palmer, director of Animal Justice Project said: "The abuse documented at Innovis is appalling.

"Pigs were struck, stabbed, and intimidated daily by long-standing staff under a CEO in place for 20 years. Yet no one intervened.

"We have contacted the authorities to push for prosecutions and demand the immediate dismissal of all staff involved—suspensions are simply not enough. If these were dogs, the consequences would be swift and severe."

Innovis was approached for comment by this newspaper but did not respond.

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However the company's CEO Dewi Jones told the Independent that the video is "shocking and wholly unacceptable".

A member of staff pictured pulling a boar's tail (Image: Animal Justice Project)

“The video content is shocking and wholly unacceptable. We are appalled,” he said.

Innovis operates to the highest health and welfare standards, he said, adding: “A specialist pig vet makes weekly visits, and the Animal and Plant Health Agency inspects the facilities every six months.”

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He also said the claims over general conditions were unfounded but extra cameras had been installed.

Animal Justice Project is a UK-based animal rights organisation with over 200,000 supporters and the group has been campaigning on farmed animal issues for over 10 years.

For more information on the group, visit: www.animaljusticeproject.com.

A boar so weak it is unable to stand (Image: Animal Justice Project)

A member of staff collecting semen from a pig which is foaming at the mouth from illness (Image: Animal Justice Project)

A member of staff at Innovis' GTC East striking a boar in the face with a metal pole (Image: Animal Justice Project) Pigs were found to be suffering from neglect and injuries were not treated (Image: Animal Justice Project) Pigs were found to be suffering from neglect and injuries were not treated (Image: Animal Justice Project) A worker rams a gate at a boar (Image: Animal Justice Project)