Accurate pain assessment in pigs is fundamental to welfare but challenging at commercial scale. Validated tools and training programs are improving pain recognition and treatment across the pig farming industry.
Pig pain assessment is a welfare frontier with enormous practical significance. Globally, over 1.4 billion pigs are farmed, and pain from lameness, injuries, disease, and routine procedures represents an enormous welfare burden. The development of validated pig pain assessment tools has transformed what is scientifically possible — reliable identification of pain in pigs using behavioral and physiological indicators. The gap between what is scientifically possible and what happens in commercial practice remains vast: most pig farms do not systematically assess pain, do not routinely provide analgesia for painful procedures, and have stockpeople without formal pain recognition training. Bridging this gap requires regulatory requirements for pain assessment and treatment, stockperson training programs that build pain recognition skills, and economic frameworks that support appropriate pain management.