The Government of Gujarat’s Directorate of Animal Husbandry has issued an advisory to municipal corporations and local authorities across the state, calling for an end to the practice of feeding unregulated food waste (swill) to pigs. This decision follows a formal letter from Mercy For Animals India Foundation, which highlighted the animal welfare, public health, and biosecurity risks posed by this unscientific feeding method.
The Issue
Across India, leftover food from hotels, canteens, and bulk kitchens is often repurposed as pig feed. While this may appear resourceful, such untreated food waste is frequently spoiled, moldy, or contaminated with excessive spice, oil, and salt – ingredients that can harm animals and spread disease.
According to global health agencies like the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH/OIE), swill feeding is a major pathway for the spread of deadly livestock diseases, including African Swine Fever (ASF) and Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD). Both ASF and FMD have caused severe losses to pig populations and farm incomes in several Indian states over the past few years.
The Gujarat Advisory
In a letter dated 15 November 2025, the Director of Animal Husbandry, Government of Gujarat, instructed municipal authorities to ensure that food waste is not reused as pig feed, but instead disposed of safely in line with prescribed hygiene and environmental guidelines.
The advisory explicitly references the representation submitted by Mercy For Animals India Foundation, acknowledging the importance of scientific evidence linking swill feeding to animal disease and poor farm outcomes.
Our Advocacy
Prior to the government’s action, Mercy For Animals India had written to the Gujarat Animal Husbandry Department, urging the state to take proactive measures against swill feeding. The organisation’s recommendations included:
- Prohibiting the use of untreated or unregulated food waste in pig diets.
- Ensuring farms follow feeding practices approved by veterinary experts and ICAR institutes.
- Training and directing veterinary officers and inspectors to monitor compliance and raise farmer awareness.
A Step Toward Safer, Kinder Farming
The Gujarat advisory marks another milestone in Mercy For Animals India’s ongoing campaign for science-based and compassionate farming systems. Similar advisories have already been issued in Uttarakhand following MFA India’s appeal, and other states are now taking note, signaling growing national momentum for humane and biosecure animal agriculture.
