Farmed animals are sentient beings, not commodities. We urge the public to reject meat and choose a kinder future.
Disturbing evidence of animal cruelty at a boar stud farm in Norfolk has been exposed by Animal Justice Project during an undercover investigation.
The facility sells semen exclusively to Hermitage AI for distribution to pig farms across Britain, including those that supply Cranswick. Cranswick boasts of its “farm to fork” business and provides pork, bacon, and cooked meats to major retailers such as Tesco.
Footage from the investigation captures harrowing scenes of boars collapsing and enduring mistreatment, systemic neglect, and multiple breaches of welfare standards at the farm. Boars were subjected to regular verbal abuse and Innovis staff struck boars over 300 times during the documented period, often using hard pipes a pitchfork and paddles.
Sentient
The investigation revealed that boars endured semen collection for the artificial insemination industry. Boars who resisted collection were physically assaulted and yelled at. Workers used homophobic and sexual insults towards the animals, highlighting a culture of cruelty at the stud farm.
The investigation highlights potential violations of the Animal Welfare Act 2006, the Welfare of Farmed Animals (England) Regulations 2007, DEFRA Pig Standards and the DEFRA Code of Practice. These breaches include inadequate housing, neglect of injured animals, physical abuse, and wholly inadequate handling.
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.
“Even without abuse, these animals endure years of confinement, invasive practices, and a complete denial of natural behaviours. Farmed animals are sentient beings, not commodities. We urge the public to reject meat and choose a kinder future.”
Weapons
Ayesha Smart, a barrister, said: "Innovis and their workers must comply with section 4 and section 9 Animal Welfare Act 2006.
“There are copious failings of those duties across the undercover footage where these safeguards are violated, and workers intentionally cause the boars pain and suffering. It is wholly unacceptable to hit, strike or kick pigs, whether using a body part or an implement.
“There are clear breaches of these requirements given also the unsanitary and slippery walkways coated with urine and faeces. There is a lack of suitable bedding or enrichment in some of the pens leaving animals to resort to pacing, playing with the concrete floor or fighting."
Dr Alice Brough, a former pig veterinarian, said: "The animal handling and care shown on this unit is truly shocking. Pigs are verbally and physically abused, appear to be neglected, and dosed with off-label drugs, licenced for females not boars, to the point of severe side effects and possibly even death.
The force used in handling these animals, who show no aggression towards workers, is beyond excessive, and employs the use of inappropriate tools as weapons to inflict pain.”
Diligence
The AJP investigation captured 800 hours of covert footage at the Innovis ‘Gene Transfer Centre (GTC) East’ in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk. The campaigners claim that animals are being failed by those entrusted with their care.
Many boars suffered from severe lameness and appeared to be left untreated, with no veterinary care provided during the filming days. Some animals were visibly in pain, struggling to move, yet continued to be used for semen collection.
Pens were often dirty and unhygienic, with urine and faeces build-up, creating slippery and unsafe conditions for the animals. More than 100 “working boars” were confined for years in cramped concrete pens, with no meaningful enrichment. Although straw was occasionally provided, boars were seen displaying signs of frustration and boredom, such as chewing on drinkers, pacing aimlessly, and fighting.
The pig semen is supplied to Hermitage AI, which collaborates with the Pig Improvement Company (PIC). PIC is a major player in the industry and claims to help customers "become the most successful pork producers in the world."
The semen is then used at BQP farms, certified by RSPCA Assured, among others. RSPCA Assured does not certify stud farms but does "encourage…members to carry out due diligence when sourcing boar semen," as stated in an email from the RSPCA press office to Animal Justice Project.
Welfare
The findings, campaigners say, highlight not only the hidden cruelties within the pig farming industry but also significant shortcomings in Red Tractor auditing. A billion animals were slaughtered for food during 2023/24, meaning even a small rate of non-compliance with welfare laws translates into vast amounts of preventable suffering.
Further evidence of poor enforcement across the UK is provided by the Animal Law Foundation in a report, released in November 2024. The report reveals that only 2.62 per cent of farms were inspected during 2022 and 2023, with fewer than one per cent of non-compliance cases identified across all farmed animal premises—including slaughterhouses—resulting in meaningful action.
A recent report by the Social Market Foundation found that most farm inspections in the UK are conducted by industry-led schemes, with just three per cent of welfare inspections conducted by state authorities.
The schemes inspect farms only every 12 to 18 months. A third of official farm inspections across the UK uncover non-compliance with welfare standards. Yet, just one in three non-compliance cases lead to prosecution, leaving countless instances of preventable suffering unaddressed.
Standards
Red Tractor, the UK’s largest food and farm standards scheme, certifies around 50,000 farms and 80 per cent of UK farm production. Red Tractor, the report claims, is failing to act decisively on welfare breaches. This claim is disputed by Red Tractor.
A spokesperson for Tesco told The Ecologist: “We take animal welfare extremely seriously and expect everyone in our supply chain to adhere to high welfare standards.
"While we do not source directly from this site, any poor practice has no place in our supply chain and we believe it was appropriate that Red Tractor immediately suspended this site following this extremely concerning footage.”
A spokesperson for RSPCA Assured said: "At present, the RSPCA welfare standards for pigs do not include standards related to boar studs and, therefore, there are no boar studs sites on the RSPCA Assured scheme. We are unable to advise further on boar studs as currently this goes beyond the scope of the scheme."
This Author
Brendan Montague is editor of The Ecologist.
