Pre-weaning mortality in commercial pig production averages 10-15% and represents both a welfare and economic problem, with most deaths due to crushing, starvation, and hypothermia in the critical first days.
The first 72 hours of life are the most welfare-critical period for piglets. During this window, they must find a teat in competition with littermates, maintain body temperature with minimal body fat reserves, and avoid being crushed by a sow weighing 200-300 kg. The welfare challenge is that interventions reducing crushing risk — such as farrowing crates — restrict the sow movement that allows natural nest building and maternal behavior. Better solutions lie in innovative farrowing system designs that provide temporary crating during the highest risk period while allowing greater freedom throughout lactation, combined with improved stockmanship to identify and support at-risk piglets.