The finishing phase — from approximately 30 kg to slaughter weight — is when most welfare problems in commercial pig production manifest, as pigs grow rapidly in fixed-size spaces with decreasing room per animal.
The finishing phase concentrates multiple welfare pressures that compound as animals grow. Fixed pen sizes mean that space per pig effectively decreases throughout the phase, and the legally mandated minimum space allocations in many countries are based on static rather than dynamic calculations. Tail biting outbreaks in finishing herds cause severe wounds, infections, and in worst cases spinal infection and death — these outbreaks are more common in crowded, understimulated environments. The transition from farm to slaughter introduces transport stress: even well-managed journeys cause fear responses in pigs unaccustomed to handling, loading, and vehicle movement. Welfare improvements in the finishing phase — increased space, effective enrichment, and lower-stress transport and lairage management — have clear, measurable benefits for individual pig welfare.