Respiratory disease is among the leading causes of suffering and death in commercial pig production. Overcrowded, poorly ventilated barns create conditions where disease is endemic rather than exceptional.
Respiratory disease in pigs causes chronic suffering that is routinely treated as a production cost rather than a welfare emergency. Animals with subclinical infection may breathe with difficulty, cough persistently, and experience reduced growth reflecting compromised wellbeing. The production system itself creates the conditions for endemic disease — high densities, poor air quality, and mixing of animals from multiple sources. Addressing respiratory disease welfare requires systemic changes to production practices, not just pharmaceutical intervention.