Livestock

Pig Pain Assessment and Management in Farming

Recognising and treating pain in pigs is essential to welfare, but pain assessment tools and analgesic protocols remain inconsistently applied across the industry.

Key Facts

Pigs commonly undergo castration, tail docking, and tooth resection without anaesthesia in some countries
The Porcine Pain Scale (PPS) was developed to standardise pain recognition
Meloxicam is an effective and affordable analgesic widely available for pigs
Pain impairs feed intake, growth, and immune function
Many stockpeople lack training in pain recognition and management

Welfare Considerations

Unmanaged pain in pigs causes suffering and reduces productivity. Behavioural indicators of pain include hunching, gait changes, vocalisation, and social withdrawal. The EU restricts surgical procedures without anaesthesia, but enforcement varies. Analgesic access has improved but is not universally used even where procedures are performed. Training farmers in pain recognition significantly improves welfare outcomes.

What You Can Do

Support training programmes for pig farmers in pain recognition
Advocate for mandatory pain relief with all surgical procedures
Choose products from certified higher welfare pig systems
Support research into pig-specific analgesic protocols
Engage with veterinary associations to promote analgesic use in pigs