The slaughter process is the final welfare challenge for pigs in commercial production. Effective stunning, minimal pre-slaughter stress, and good handling practices can transform the welfare experience of pigs at the end of their lives.
Slaughter welfare for pigs is a critical intervention point with enormous aggregate impact. The pre-slaughter period — lairage, unloading, and movement through the abattoir — exposes pigs to multiple stressors including unfamiliar environments, noise, mixing with strange pigs, and handling by unfamiliar people. CO₂ gas stunning — used for approximately 90% of pigs in the UK — causes an aversive induction phase during which pigs become visibly distressed before losing consciousness. Alternative stunning methods that achieve faster unconsciousness exist but are less widely adopted. Post-sticking consciousness — a risk when stunning is ineffective — is one of the most serious welfare outcomes and requires robust monitoring. Improvements in abattoir design, handling protocols, and stunning method efficacy can transform the welfare of the last hours of pigs' lives.