Animal Welfare Science

Science-Based Space Requirements for Livestock

Setting livestock space requirements based on welfare science rather than political negotiation would significantly improve welfare outcomes for billions of farm animals.

Key Facts

Current EU space requirements for pigs are significantly below those recommended by welfare scientists
Broiler stocking densities permitted by EU law are higher than those shown to maintain welfare in research
Space requirements in US regulations are often lower than EU standards which are themselves insufficient
Animal behavior research provides clear data on space needs for natural behavior expression
Economic models show welfare-based space requirements can be achieved within viable business models

Welfare Considerations

The gap between welfare science on space requirements and regulatory minimums is a significant driver of preventable animal suffering. Scientific evidence on the space needed for natural behavior, reduced aggression, and normal physiology has been available for decades but has not been translated into regulatory standards due to industry resistance. Evidence-based space requirements would improve welfare for billions of animals with manageable economic costs.

What You Can Do

Support organizations advocating for evidence-based space requirements in welfare legislation
Engage with welfare regulation consultations with scientific evidence on space requirements
Choose animal products from farms that voluntarily exceed minimum space standards
Donate to welfare science research establishing evidence-based space requirements across species