Pain management in commercial pig farming has historically been inadequate, but advances in protocols and products are creating opportunities to reduce suffering from routine procedures and disease.
Pain management in pig farming lags far behind what is standard for companion animals and even other farm species in many production systems. Routine procedures involving significant tissue damage are performed on conscious animals without pain relief that is both available and affordable. The cultural normalization of these practices in commercial pig production does not reflect scientific reality — pigs experience pain in ways that are qualitatively comparable to mammals generally. The availability of effective, practical, and affordable pain management options means that continued failure to use them is an ethical choice rather than a practical necessity. Regulatory requirements, welfare certification standards, and veterinary guidelines that make pain management mandatory for routine procedures can rapidly change this situation.