Piglet Welfare: Farrowing, Survival, and Early Life

The first days of a piglet's life are critical for welfare and survival. Farrowing systems, sow behavior, and stockmanship quality determine outcomes for millions of piglets annually.

Key Facts

Piglet pre-weaning mortality averages 10-15% in commercial systems, with crushing by the sow the leading cause.
Farrowing crates prevent sow movement to reduce crushing risk but also prevent natural maternal behavior.
Free farrowing systems allowing sow movement use nest-building behavior and spatial design to reduce crushing without crates.
Colostrum intake in the first 24 hours is critical — piglets failing to suckle colostrum face high mortality and compromised immunity.
Piglet iron injection at 3 days prevents iron deficiency anemia, a near-universal problem in indoor-reared piglets.

Welfare Considerations

Farrowing crates prevent crushing at the cost of preventing the sow from engaging in natural maternal behavior — nest building, postural adjustment, and space management that reduces crushing by different mechanisms. Free farrowing systems have demonstrated comparable piglet survival with significantly better sow welfare. The transition from farrowing crates is technically feasible but requires capital investment and management skill. Legislative phase-out timelines are under development in several EU countries following evidence that welfare-positive alternatives can maintain commercial viability.

What You Can Do

Choose pork products from producers committed to free farrowing systems.
Support Compassion in World Farming campaigns on farrowing crate phase-out.
Follow SRUC and Wageningen University research on free farrowing system performance.
Advocate for EU-level legislation phasing out farrowing crates.
Engage with food companies on their pig welfare commitments including farrowing standards.