Commercial sow longevity has declined as production intensity has increased, with most sows culled after 3-4 reproductive cycles; improving longevity is both a welfare and sustainability goal.
Sow longevity is a welfare metric that reflects the accumulated health impacts of reproductive management on individual animals. Short productive lives in commercial systems indicate that sows are experiencing levels of physiological depletion that prevent them from maintaining health and reproductive function beyond a few cycles. The welfare implications of this pattern are significant — sows cycling through lameness, body condition deterioration, and reproductive failure experience genuine suffering during their brief productive lives. Improving sow longevity requires addressing the root causes: more moderate production expectations, better housing systems, improved nutrition, and genetic selection that balances production with robustness. The economic alignment between better longevity and reduced replacement costs provides a business case for welfare improvement.