Pig breeding programs have traditionally prioritized growth rate, feed efficiency, and litter size, but welfare-aware genetics programs are beginning to incorporate behavioral and health traits.
Pig welfare genetics represents an opportunity to address welfare problems at their genetic root rather than managing them through husbandry interventions alone. Traits like tail biting susceptibility, leg strength, sow longevity, and stress reactivity show heritable variation that can theoretically be selected against or for. The challenge is that genetic selection requires clear, measurable traits and sufficient data at the population level - welfare traits are often difficult to measure consistently across production environments. The business case for welfare genetics is strengthening as consumer and regulatory pressure raises the cost of welfare failures.