Pigs have cognitive abilities comparable to dogs and 3-year-old children, making their factory farming conditions a significant ethical concern.
Pigs in intensive factory farms suffer from confinement so severe they cannot turn around, absence of rooting materials, painful mutilations without anesthesia (teeth clipping, tail docking), and slaughter at 6 months of age. Their documented intelligence means they likely experience profound boredom, frustration, and psychological suffering. Cognitive complexity does not always correlate with welfare standards.