Pig Welfare Indicators Toolkit: On-Farm Assessment

Practical welfare indicator toolkits enable stockpersons and farmers to assess pig welfare systematically and identify areas for improvement.

Key Facts

The Welfare Quality assessment protocol for pigs covers 12 criteria across four welfare principles
Animal-based indicators measure outcomes on the pig: injuries, body condition, behavior, and health
Resource-based indicators measure inputs: space, enrichment, housing design
Management-based indicators measure practices: training, record-keeping, emergency protocols
Key animal-based measures include tail lesion scoring, lameness scoring, and skin lesion scoring
AHDB and other organizations provide simplified practical toolkits adapted from research protocols
Regular self-assessment using standardized tools identifies problem areas before they become crises

Welfare Considerations

Welfare assessment toolkits translate welfare science into practical farm-level tools. Farmers who regularly score tail lesions, lameness, and skin injuries develop sharper observation skills and earlier problem detection. Standardized scoring enables comparison over time and between farms. Self-assessment toolkits that are simple enough to use routinely are more valuable than comprehensive protocols that are too demanding for regular use. The farms most consistently achieving good welfare outcomes are those that measure, record, and respond to welfare indicator data.

What You Can Do

Download and use a simplified pig welfare assessment toolkit from your industry organization
Train all stockpersons in the welfare indicator scoring system used on your farm
Conduct monthly welfare assessments recording all key indicators
Use welfare assessment data to identify problem areas and track improvement over time
Share welfare assessment results with your vet and farm advisor at health planning visits