High culling rates of sows from commercial pig farms represent both a welfare concern and a production inefficiency, driven by lameness, reproductive failure, and inadequate husbandry systems.
The short productive life of sows in commercial systems reflects welfare failures at multiple levels, from housing design and flooring type to nutrition and genetic selection. A sow culled after three parities has rarely had the opportunity to express natural behaviors or maintain the body condition consistent with good welfare. Lameness, which drives much of the premature culling, is strongly influenced by flooring quality, and farms transitioning from concrete to rubber-matted or deep-litter systems show significant lameness reduction. Extended sow productive life is a welfare goal that also aligns with producer economics, as replacement gilt costs are substantial. Progressive pig farms that invest in sow health management achieve longer productive lives and lower culling rates.