Pig and poultry farms answer to five overlapping regimes at once — IgeraAgro indexes every one and cites the exact article
From sow floor-space requirements to broiler stocking density, from IED environmental permits to African Swine Fever biosecurity under the SIGE system, IgeraAgro turns Directive 2008/120/EC, Directive 2007/43/EC, RD 306/2020 and Directive 2010/75/EU into instant, sourced answers for your farm.
The rules your farm operates under, in numbers
Pig and poultry production sits at the intersection of animal welfare law, environmental permitting and disease-control regulation. These are the thresholds that decide whether you need a new permit, a bigger pen, or a reinforced biosecurity protocol.
1.64 / 2.25 m²
Minimum unobstructed floor space per group-housed sow after service — 1.64 m² for gilts, 2.25 m² for adult sows — under Directive 2008/120/EC
33-42 kg/m²
Broiler stocking density range under Directive 2007/43/EC: 33 kg/m² as the standard limit, up to 39 kg/m² with additional welfare requirements, and exceptionally up to 42 kg/m²
750 / 2,000 / 40,000
IED thresholds triggering an integrated environmental permit: over 750 sow places, 2,000 fattening pig places above 30 kg, or 40,000 poultry places, under Directive 2010/75/EU
1 July 2026
Deadline for Spain to transpose Directive 2024/1785, which will revise the current IED thresholds for intensive pig and poultry farming
Frequently asked questions from pig and poultry producers
How much space does each sow legally need in a group-housing system?
Directive 2008/120/EC sets a minimum unobstructed floor area of 1.64 m² for gilts housed in groups after service, rising to 2.25 m² per adult sow. An adult boar needs at least 6 m² of pen space, increased to 10 m² when the pen is also used for natural service. IgeraAgro flags these figures automatically whenever a housing-design or stocking question touches sow or boar accommodation, citing the directive directly.
What is the maximum stocking density allowed for broiler chickens?
Directive 2007/43/EC, transposed into Spanish law by RD 692/2010, sets a standard maximum stocking density of 33 kg/m² for chickens reared for meat production. This can rise to 39 kg/m² if the farm meets additional welfare and monitoring conditions, and exceptionally up to 42 kg/m² under stricter oversight. IgeraAgro cross-references your farm's declared density against these tiers and the specific conditions each threshold requires.
When does my farm need an IED integrated environmental permit?
Under Directive 2010/75/EU, intensive livestock installations need an integrated environmental authorization once they exceed 40,000 places for poultry, 2,000 places for fattening pigs over 30 kg, or 750 places for sows. Crossing any one of these thresholds brings the farm into the IED regime regardless of the others. IgeraAgro can check your declared capacity against these limits and explain what the permit process involves.
Are the IED thresholds for pig and poultry farms about to change?
Yes — Directive 2024/1785 will revise the current thresholds set out in Directive 2010/75/EU, and Spain must transpose it into national law before 1 July 2026. The exact revised figures are not yet part of IgeraAgro's indexed corpus, so treat any specific new number you hear in general terms until the transposing regulation is published. IgeraAgro will update its indexed sources as soon as the transposition is enacted.
What does RD 306/2020 require for intensive and extensive pig farms?
RD 306/2020 governs the ordering of both intensive and extensive pig farms in Spain, requiring each holding to implement a Sistema Integral de Gestión de Explotación (SIGE) and reinforced biosecurity measures, with particular focus on preventing African Swine Fever. These obligations apply alongside, not instead of, the welfare standards in Directive 2008/120/EC. IgeraAgro can pull the specific biosecurity or SIGE clause relevant to your farm type on request.
Does the same biosecurity standard apply to poultry farms as to pig farms?
The core biosecurity and SIGE obligations under RD 306/2020 are framed specifically around pig farms and African Swine Fever prevention, while poultry farms are governed primarily by Directive 2007/43/EC and RD 692/2010 on welfare during rearing. Environmental permitting for both species is instead unified under Directive 2010/75/EU once the relevant place thresholds are exceeded. IgeraAgro keeps each regulatory track separate so you're never given a pig-specific rule as if it applied to poultry, or vice versa.
Stop cross-checking five regulations by hand every time an inspector calls
One question about sow spacing, broiler density, or your IED permit status can send you digging through four directives and a royal decree. IgeraAgro indexes them all — Directive 2008/120/EC, Directive 2007/43/EC, RD 306/2020 and Directive 2010/75/EU — and answers with the exact article cited, so your farm stays compliant without the paperwork chase.
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