Neonatal piglet welfare depends critically on colostrum intake within the first hours of life, with management interventions significantly affecting survival and immune competence.
The first hours of piglet life are disproportionately important for welfare across the entire production period - failure to secure colostrum results in immune deficiency that causes suffering from illness throughout the pig's life. Management systems that allow large litters without intervention allow predictable mortality and suffering in the weakest piglets. Active intervention including split suckling, foster sow allocation, and supplemental colostrum provision significantly improves welfare outcomes. These interventions require skilled stockmanship and time investment that welfare-positive production systems must accommodate.