Average sow longevity in commercial pork production is short, with most sows culled after 3-4 litters. Improving sow longevity serves both welfare and production goals.
Short sow productive life in intensive systems reflects a welfare pattern: sows experiencing repeated metabolic stress from high reproductive demands, inadequate recovery time, and housing-related lameness are used up and culled rather than maintained through welfare improvements that would extend their productive lives. The welfare case for extended sow longevity is aligned with the production case: sows that are healthier, better nourished, and housed in ways that preserve physical condition produce more lifetime piglets and last longer. Investing in sow welfare through appropriate nutrition, group housing, and pain management reduces the premature culling that represents both a welfare failure and an economic inefficiency.