The Danish Pig Research Centre is concerned that although the industry is growing and it is able to produce more pigs, it is constantly fighting stories from campaign groups about piglet mortality, antibiotic use injuries to pigs and tail docking.

The centre has said that to combat the bad publicity the industry must concentrate on the positive aspects of the welfare regimes in the pig houses.

"Whether we think it is fair or not, we'll get beaten up by the press as long as we do not straighten out unfortunate slants on stories such as on mortality or antibiotics," Lindhart B Nielsen chairman of the Danish Agriculture and Food organisation told the annual meeting of the Information Centre for Pig Production.

"Bad stories are the easiest and quickest way to more and more stringent regulatory action.

He said it is difficult to defend the industry again bad stories, but he added that the way forward it "to turn the tide" on the bad publicity.

Over the winter the knowledge centre will be holding discussions over a a broader range of targets of pig welfare.

"We believe that a market driven development is the only right way, as for example we see in the US, where burger chains and supermarkets put increasing pressure on getting loose sows. We'd like to meet market requirements," said Mr Nielsen

The industry organisation has now embarked on a positive action campaign to get better news stories and adverting in teh media about tDanish pig industry practices.