Slaughter is the final welfare event in a pig's life, and the method used — from lairage management to stunning and killing — has profound implications for how much suffering pigs experience at the end of their lives.
The welfare of pigs at slaughter is a complex technical and ethical challenge. CO2 stunning — used for the majority of pigs in high-income countries — is deeply problematic: the induction phase causes distress that the pig experiences before losing consciousness. This is not an acceptable welfare outcome when alternatives exist. Inert gas systems eliminate the aversive induction phase and should be the industry standard. Lairage management — reducing mixing of unfamiliar animals, maintaining comfortable temperatures, and minimising handling time — significantly reduces pre-slaughter fear and physical injury. For consumers, the slaughter method used by a supplier is often discoverable through welfare certification and direct engagement with producers.