Breeding sows spend most of their productive lives pregnant or nursing, facing welfare challenges from housing systems, high productivity demands, and reproductive management.
Sow welfare is shaped by the tension between high productivity demands and the animal's biological capacity. Hyperprolific genetics produce large litters that exceed the sow's ability to nourish all piglets, leading to split suckling, fostering, and high early mortality. The physical toll of repeated pregnancies and lactations depletes body condition and causes musculoskeletal problems. Good sow welfare requires balanced genetics that prioritise sow longevity alongside litter size, appropriate body condition management, and housing that supports natural behaviour.