Body condition scoring in breeding sows is a key welfare tool that reveals whether animals are receiving adequate nutrition throughout their reproductive cycles.
Undernutrition in gestating sows causes hunger-related frustration, reduced immune function, poor piglet birth weights, and inadequate milk production. Thin sows also lose excessive body condition during lactation, compromising their own welfare and future reproductive success. Overconditioned sows face painful farrowing. Body condition scoring is a simple, non-invasive welfare tool that identifies nutritional problems at the individual level, but requires consistent training and monitoring commitment from farm staff to be effective.