Respiratory disease is the leading health challenge in pig production globally. Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) and enzootic pneumonia cause substantial suffering and require proactive management.
Respiratory disease in pigs causes genuine suffering — pigs with PRRS or enzootic pneumonia experience laboured breathing, fever, reduced feed intake, and the chronic debilitation of impaired respiratory function. Subclinical respiratory disease is particularly insidious: affected pigs show reduced growth without obvious respiratory signs, meaning the welfare cost accumulates without triggering intervention. Prevention through vaccination, biosecurity, and management strategies (AIAO, batch farrowing, adequate ventilation) is more humane than repeated disease cycles requiring antibiotic treatment. Antimicrobial stewardship in respiratory disease management is both a welfare and a public health imperative — reducing antibiotic dependence requires investment in prevention.