Emergency killing of pigs on farm requires humane methods that minimize suffering, with carbon dioxide and captive bolt being the most commonly used approaches.
Emergency on-farm pig killing welfare represents a welfare challenge at the intersection of practical necessity and ethical obligation. When disease outbreaks, welfare emergencies, or barn system failures require rapid depopulation of thousands of pigs, the choice of method determines whether animals die quickly and without awareness or experience prolonged distress before unconsciousness. Carbon dioxide is practical but aversive — pigs detect it before losing consciousness. The welfare frontier is transitioning to inert gas methods that avoid the CO2 awareness problem while maintaining practical applicability.