Commercial pig farming typically weans piglets at 3-4 weeks — far earlier than natural weaning. This practice causes significant stress and welfare problems for both piglets and sows.
Early commercial weaning creates a perfect storm of acute stressors for piglets at a developmentally vulnerable stage. The simultaneous loss of the mother, transition from milk to solid food, unfamiliar social environment, and novel housing conditions overwhelm the piglet's adaptive capacity. Belly nosing — where piglets persistently root at littermates' abdomens seeking milk — is a persistent indicator of frustrated nursing motivation. Post-weaning diarrhoea causes pain and significant mortality in some systems. Sows suffer from udder pain and distress at separation. Higher-welfare systems that delay weaning, allow temporary mother contact post-weaning, or provide transition milk feeding substantially reduce suffering.