How management practices affect sow lifespan, productivity and cumulative welfare outcomes across reproductive life.
The rapid turnover of sows in intensive production systems reflects a management philosophy that prioritizes immediate output over sustainable performance and animal welfare. Sows that are lame, reproductively exhausted or behaviorally compromised by their second or third parity are culled and replaced, creating a cycle in which welfare problems are managed through replacement rather than prevention. High-longevity sow programs demonstrate that investing in structural soundness, appropriate flooring, and gradual reproductive development produces sows that remain healthy and productive for twice as long while generating better welfare outcomes throughout their productive life. The business case and the welfare case for sow longevity are well aligned.