Liver health problems in farmed pigs, including abscesses, mycotoxin damage, and hepatitis, are common welfare concerns that also serve as indicators of broader management and feed quality issues.
Liver disease in pigs often develops gradually and chronically, meaning affected pigs may suffer for extended periods without obvious signs that trigger intervention. Liver abscesses, a common finding at slaughter, cause persistent infection and discomfort throughout the animal life — often from dental eruption wounds in the early rearing period that introduce bacteria. The high prevalence of liver abscesses in many herds represents a significant, widespread welfare burden that receives less attention than more visible conditions. Mycotoxin liver damage impairs metabolic function and immune competence, indirectly compromising welfare through increased susceptibility to other diseases. Systematic monitoring of slaughter data for liver condemnation rates provides one of the few reliable population-level welfare surveillance tools available.