Recent developments in analgesic provision for pigs undergoing painful procedures and how better pain management improves welfare outcomes.
The historical norm of performing painful procedures on pigs without pain relief represents a significant welfare failure that has been accepted for economic convenience. The science of pig pain perception and stress is robust - pigs experience pain in ways functionally equivalent to other mammals. The availability of effective, inexpensive analgesics such as meloxicam removes the main economic argument against pain management. Regulatory requirements for analgesia in some European countries demonstrate that change is feasible and does not undermine production viability. Extending these requirements globally would benefit hundreds of millions of pigs annually.