The welfare of breeding sows throughout their productive life involves chronic physical and psychological challenges requiring systemic management improvement.
Sow welfare encompasses a lifetime of reproductive challenge that causes progressive physical deterioration in many commercial systems. Lameness is epidemic and largely preventable through flooring improvement, regular foot trimming, and prompt treatment. Body condition management across the reproductive cycle requires skilled stockpersonship and feeding system investment. The welfare of breeding sows has improved in jurisdictions requiring group housing, but implementation quality varies enormously. A welfare-conscious approach to sow management treats each individual as having needs that matter throughout her productive life, not merely as a production unit whose welfare ends with her cull date.