Positive early-life human contact in pigs reduces fear of humans, improves handling outcomes, and measurably improves welfare indicators throughout the production cycle.
Fear of humans is a pervasive and underappreciated welfare problem in commercial pig farming. Pigs in intensive systems may experience humans only during stressful events: injection, teeth clipping, tail docking, and movement. This creates lasting negative associations that make routine handling aversive. Fearful pigs are more difficult to move, more likely to injure themselves and handlers during loading, and experience greater stress during transport and pre-slaughter lairage. The solution is elegantly simple: stockpeople who interact calmly and positively with pigs from birth create animals that are less fearful, easier to manage, and measurably less stressed throughout their lives. Training programs for stockpeople in positive handling techniques have demonstrated welfare and productivity benefits. Stockperson behaviour is a leverage point that could improve welfare for hundreds of millions of pigs at very low cost.