The finishing phase and pre-slaughter period are critical for pig welfare. Conditions during these stages affect both lifetime welfare and the quality of slaughter outcomes.
The final weeks and hours of a pig life significantly affect its overall welfare experience. Barren finishing pens, social mixing, noisy transport, and aversive stunning methods all contribute to negative welfare during this critical period. Improvements including stable social groups throughout finishing, lower-stress lairage, and more humane stunning methods can substantially reduce suffering in the pre-slaughter phase.